Like The Rain
by Revolutionnaire Rouge
Summary: The rain has a funny way of getting in your eyes, but Anzu and Seto find that sometimes you need to blur the boundaries in order to see clearly again... And things are definitely starting to get blurry. Story returning, and in progress.
1. Rain City

Bonjour, and welcome to another story courtesy of your favorite, if not only, Red Revolutionary. This is a re posting of a story under the same name- Like The Rain. The story is the same, but if you read the original version, you're going to want to re-read. I believe it's much better than the original. This is my first (kind of) Yu-Gi-Oh story, I hope it will meet your standards! I would love it if you please review! I'll accept constructive criticism, but not flames. There's a BIG difference, and besides, flames burn my paper heart. All right, I think that's all! Read on!

This is dedicated to my non family older sibling and Beta aherocansaveus, who still believes that I've cut my hair and dyed it blue. Lotsa love!

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Like The Rain by Rouge Revolutionnaire

Chapter One: Rain City

* * *

"Looks like it's going to be another beautiful day in Rain City…" Anzu muttered as she stepped outside. She stared up at the sky, dark and heavy with the clouds that had hung over the city for the past week. The rain had let up, for the moment, but Anzu had no doubt it would start half way through commute to school. She opened her baby blue umbrella and swung it above her head before moving onto the wet and almost empty streets. It was about a quarter of a mile from her apartment complex to Domino High School, and a glance at her watch reassured her that there was enough time to get to school without having to run.

The raindrops began, as predicted, half way through her trudge to school. They pattered on the umbrella with a soft, empty sound, then slid down and dripped past her face, hitting the ground and disappearing forever.

_-The story of my life…-_ Anzu mused as she watched the small droplets. She continued walking, thankful for the umbrella that kept her dry. She hated the rain. Nothing about it was predictable about it. Today, the raindrops came down small and fast, reminding Anzu of swarming insects. She wished she could swat the rain, and all of the clouds away, so that the sun would shine once again on Domino.

Domino High School was coming into sight. From where Anzu was, the building looked oddly deserted. On any other day, when it wasn't raining, flocks of students would be gathered around the school buildings in the courtyards. Today however, everyone was inside, trying to stay dry.

A black car slid past her on the empty street, elegantly splattering her clean uniform with dirty rain water. Anzu stopped, and stared down at her now stained uniform disbelievingly. She watched as the black vehicle entered the gates of Domino High School and stopped right at the main entrance. A tall figure exited the vehicle and walked up the stairs of the building. Anzu recognized the figure immediately, although she had had no doubts as to who had been in the car. She would deal with that later.

By the time she reached the school, the car and its previous occupant had disappeared. Anzu trudged up the stairs of the main entrance, and paused under the overhang to close her umbrella. Taking a breath, she entered the madhouse that she liked to call Domino High School.

* * *

"Watch it Mazaki!" A gruff voice came from over Anzu's head. Anzu stared up at the infamous Seto Kaiba with a look of disgust. A look which he had no trouble returning. Slowly, and without ever breaking her gaze, she gathered the books which had gone sliding across the floor when the two had collided and stood up. With one hand she held her stack of books, and with the other she straightened her skirt. She didn't need to glance at her watch this time to know that she was going to be late to class if she didn't get moving. However, there was something in her that caused her to stay and fight.

"You watch it Kaiba!" she shot back through gritted teeth," I'm not the one who knocked some innocent student over and made them late for class."

Kaiba's only reaction was to raise a single eyebrow. His blue eyes glinted, cold and emotionless like ice. The same everyday.

"Innocent?" he questioned, his face twisting into a smarmy smirk," You? I find that hard to believe Mazaki, with all of the guys you hang out with. At least I wasn't the one running through the halls in order not to be late to class because I'd been spending too much time making out with Midget Motou."

Anzu balled her fists and came right up in his face, jabbing an accusing finger at his chest. An angry flush had spread across her face- how _dare _he talk about she and Yugi that way!

"For your information Kaiba, I was just getting my schedule changed to English I Honors. That air head of a secretary was slow at getting it done, and then wouldn't even give me a pass. Now y-"

"Oh, how wonderful," Kaiba cut her off snidely. He rolled his eyes," Right where I'm headed. Just what I need: another class with the friendship girl."

"Well don't think that I'm just thrilled with the fact that I have to spend another class period with you everyday, you selfish, arrogant ba-"

Anzu was cut off by the chiming tones of the school bell, signaling that all students left in the halls would be late. Anzu looked down the hall, then turned back to Kaiba, glaring daggers.

"I hope you're happy Kaiba," she muttered," You've successfully made me late to English. You must strive to make my life miserable."

"Don't flatter yourself Mazaki," Kaiba growled. He turned and stalked towards the English Hall. Anzu shoved her books into her bag and ran down the nearly empty hall towards the retreating figure of Seto Kaiba.

"Kaiba, wait!" Anzu yelled, cringing as he stopped dead and turned to glare at her.

"I'm late Mazaki. What do you want?"

She couldn't face his gaze, she instead looked to the scuffed linoleum of the school floor. She muttered something almost incomprehensible.

"Speak up, I don't have all day!" He scowled and crossed his arms, wondering why he didn't just walk away.

"I…don't know where… the English classroom is…"

Kaiba stared at her with cold ice blue eyes, then, without a word spun on his heel and walked down the hall at a brisk pace. Anzu followed behind him silently, cursing both herself and the looming figure ahead of her. Seto Kaiba. Anzu was normally personable – Kaiba was not the only student in the school who called her "friendship girl" – but there was something about the cold eyed CEO that just repelled her. She couldn't help but fight with him. The problem was that, she could never win. Not against Seto Kaiba.

Kaiba stopped at the door of an unfamiliar classroom, a sign over which read "English Only" in bold print. He stared at her, expectantly. Tentatively, she walked over and turned the door knob. She opened the door and held it open as Seto Kaiba sauntered in.

_-A real gentleman- _Anzu thought, hearing her mother's voice in her mind _– Would open a door for a lady, never the other way around-_

Anzu sighed as she walked into the classroom to face the merciless eyes of her new classmates. Seto Kaiba was standing next to the teacher's desk, arms crossed across his chest, scowling at the world.

_-But then again, Seto Kaiba doesn't exactly qualify as a real gentleman. Sure, he's got money, but beyond that…-_

"Mr. Kaiba, Miss Mazaki, of all of the people I would expect to be late to my class, you aren't on my list." The teacher said with a frown. He was an English man in his late sixties, with a balding head and large, thick framed glasses that gave his eyes an almost bug-like appearance.

"It wasn't my fault Sir, h-"Anzu started, but she was cut off by Kaiba.

"Now look Mazaki, you're the one that ran into me, and then decided to argue about it!"

Anzu gaped at him, her jaw dropped," _I'm_ the one that ran into you?"

The two began to blatantly argue, ignorant of their snickering classmates and the furious teacher. Ryou and Yami, who were both in the class, stared dumbfounded as the two teens bickered. The teacher stood up from behind his desk and slammed his fist on the blackboard to get the attention of the two arguing students. Both stopped abruptly and turned to stare at the older man, whose face was now bright red in anger.

"Miss Mazaki! Mr. Kaiba!" he yelled, pounding on the board again for emphasis," We're only seven minutes into the class and I'm already sick and tired of you're arguing! Not only were you late for my class, but when you do finally arrive, you come in here, argue, and distract the class from learning! Both of you go to the Principal's office- NOW!"

Anzu turned to the teacher, her face contorted into a look of both anger at being interrupted and shock at the realization of why the teacher had interrupted her, while Kaiba folded his arms and looked away, indifferent. Needing no more prompting, she stomped out of the room, followed more gracefully by Kaiba. As soon as the door was shut and they were a few feet down the hall, Anzu spun around to face him, furious.

"I can't believe you!" she hissed, not wanting to raise her voice and get in even more trouble for disturbing the classes around them. Kaiba scowled.

"You can't believe me?" he replied, not taking the care to lower his voice. Anzu was sure though that it wouldn't matter for him – Seto Kaiba rarely ever got in trouble, let alone scolded. The English teacher had shown a lot of bravery in acting as he did.

"You're the one that started this all by running into me!" Anzu said.

"Well you're the one who argued!"

She clenched her fists to stop her hands from shaking in anger," What? You just expect me to let you stomp all over me like the rest of the world does? I, unlike all of those idiots who bow down to you, have some self respect! Anyone with half a brain can see that you're a rude, arrogant, selfish-"

"And anyone with half a brain can see how little maturity you have Mazaki. Honestly? To sink as low as to resort to name calling?" He smirked, and brushed by her, headed to the office.

"I'm not done talking Kaiba!" Anzu yelled, not caring who heard her. Her cry echoed down the hall, but did not change Kaiba's confident stride. He didn't even turn as he replied,

"Well, I'm done listening Mazaki."

She entered the Principal's office silently behind Kaiba. As they entered, the Principal swung around in her desk chair and stood up, looking rather menacing in her two piece suit and stilettos.

"Sit," she commanded. Both students obeyed without question.

"Your teacher called me," she said menacingly," and informed me of what happened. You two are some of the most promising students that Domino High School has ever seen traverse its halls, and here you both are, screaming at each other like a pair of enraged primates. Would either of you like to explain?"

Kaiba, apparently still indifferent, just stared at the Principal, obviously trying to intimidate her. It didn't work. Instead, Anzu took center stage, pleading her case. Half way through her retelling of the morning's events, Kaiba stood up from his chair and gathered his bag.

"Mr. Kaiba-" The Principal started.

"This," he growled voice hard and eyes glinting," Is a waste of my time."

* * *

"Bonjour Mademoiselle," Anzu sighed as she entered the cozy dance loft of Mademoiselle Sarcelle Dugin's School of Dance. Mlle Dugin smiled over from here she was stretching on the bar," Bonjour Anzu, ca va?"

"Euh…" Anzu started,"Ca va comme si comme ca."

"Ouais? Si tu as une probleme, tu connais que je suis ici pour tu."

"Non, non Mademoiselle, mais merci."

Mlle Dugin nodded and continued to stretch as the rest of the class slowly trickled in. Anzu couldn't help but smile at the petite French woman that Anzu had come to love like a mother. She had been Anzu's instructor for the past four years, and had begun teaching her French a year ago. Moving over to her own place on the bar, Anzu began her series of warm up stretches. The loft was open and spacious, with hard wood floors and an entire wall covered by a long mirror. Along another wall was the bar, where the students of the class were lining up to begin. The scent of a strong vanilla candle that burned almost every day in the loft mixed with sweat filled the floor, but didn't overwhelm it. It was the one place where Anzu could feel safe and comfortable. The one place where things like the rain, her new English class, and Seto Kaiba couldn't affect her.

* * *

'Au revoir Mademoiselle!" Anzu shouted, waving to her dance instructor.

"Au revoir Anzu," her teacher called back, her words heavily accented," Remember, practice dos steps tonight. Don't forget dat de try outs for de next recital ah coming up!"

"How could I forget?" Anzu replied, causing both women to laugh.

Anzu smiled and hurried down the stairs to the first floor. She gave a small wave as she passed one of the other instructors, then headed towards the doors. Her smile melted away like sugar as she was drenched by the torrent of rain that assaulted her. Anzu dug around in her bag, and, with a relieved sigh, pulled out her umbrella. She was fortunate she hadn't left it at school, as she had yesterday.

She walked down the sidewalk, praying that no cars would drive by too fast and soak her more, as Seto Kaiba has so kindly done that morning. Anzu still had to figure out a way to get revenge for the senseless staining of her uniform. Seto Kaiba… Lord, if anyone could get on her nerves, it was him.

"Anzu!"

Anzu froze and tensed, suddenly wondering if her thoughts had transported HIM here. She took a deep breath and spun around.

"Yugi, Yami!" she shouted, relieved to see them and not her worst enemy. But of course it wouldn't have been them- they called her Anzu. Kaiba called her Mazaki. Right.

"You look like you need a lift," Yami said, hopping out of the passenger seat of Yugi's red BMW and holding the door open for her. Anzu smiled and closed her umbrella.

"Thank you guys so much," she said as Yami shut the door and they sped off.

"No problem Anzu," Yugi replied, flashing her a kind smiled," It's been raining so hard, what kind of friends would we have been to have just left you out in the rain?"

"You would have been friendless friends," Anzu joked, causing both boys to laugh. Yami twisted in his seat so that he could face her. Anzu smiled, and tried hard not to blush. She had had a crush on Yugi's other side since he had first appeared, but she had been able to control her feelings due to the fact that he shared the same body with Yugi – who, contrary to popular belief, was just a friend -, meaning that he didn't appear often. However, by some miracle, Yami had been granted his wish and been given a body. He became Yugi's brother and begun going to Domino High school, and was adapting well to 21st century life. Unfortunately, this had only intensified Anzu's feelings – of course, she would never act on them. To Yami, Anzu was just a friend. She was content with that. For the moment.

The three chatted as good friends do, until they reached Anzu's apartment complex.

"Well, thanks guys, so much. This rain has been such a pain!"

"Yea, no kidding," Yugi replied," And really, it was no problem."

"Bye!" Anzu waved, and turned away, but not before hearing Yami's last remark.

"Hope to see you at lunch tomorrow – try not to get in trouble Anzu!"

Anzu turned and shrugged at the boys before entering her apartment building. The red BMW pulled away and slowly faded away into the thick rain. Anzu sighed as she ascended the stairs, wishing Yami hadn't reminded her of today's lunch.

After Kaiba had walked out of the Principal's office, Anzu got sent back to class, with a lunch detention and a warning that she had been let off easy this time. However, if she and Kaiba ever got into an argument again, there would be dire consequences. For both of them.

Anzu fished her house key out of her bag and unlocked the door. She entered her dark apartment and went straight to her room. With a thud, she plopped down onto her bed and stared out the window above it. The sky was dark, as it had been for the past week, and, she assumed, as it would be for the next week. She really couldn't stand the rain.

And she really couldn't stand Seto Kaiba.

* * *

Thanks again for reading! Please read and review! Oh, and, for those who don't speak French (shame on you!): Parentheses is the literal translation, normal is how we'd read it.

Bonjour, ca va: Hello, how are you? (Hello, that goes?)

Euh…ca va comme si comme ca: Um, so so. (Um, that goes so so.)

Ouais? Si tu as une probleme, tu connais que je suis ici pour tu. : Yea? If you have a probleme, you know (that) I'm here for you. (That translates pretty cleanly)

Non, non Mademoiselle, mais merci.: No, no Ma'am, but thanks. (Once again, clean translation)

My French isn't perfect, please, if there's something I've written incorrectly, please feel free to correct! Alright, Read on, Rock Out,

RR


	2. Umbrella Talk

Hey everyone! This is the great Rouge here with the second revolutionary chapter of Like The Rain! I hope all you readers and reviewers enjoyed the first chapter, and I really hope you enjoy this second one! I think you will, I seem to have a knack for second chapters. I've decided to put my rants at the end of this, because I know how tiring it can be, going through a page and a half of the author or authoress talking to his/herself and his/her alter egos when one just wants to get on with the fiction. This chapter has some juicy Seto/Anzu, along with a dab of plot development and a hint of foreshadowing. A quick shout out to Beta aherocansaveus! Maybe next time you'll actually read the chapter and Beta it beforehand jerkwad. Just kidding Anh, I luvs ya. I hope this is up to your standards, and if it's not, too bad, because 1) I like it, and 2) You didn't want to read it! Bwa! Love.

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Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, or Clint Black's Like the Rain, just like Paul McCartney doesn't own The Beatles. Oh, the irony.

* * *

Like the Rain

by Revolutionnaire Rouge

Chapter Two: Umbrella Talk

* * *

Anzu sat down on the picnic bench and stared up at the sky, admiring the bright sun and cloudless clear blue sky. There hadn't even a hint of rain the entire day, and as the sun beat down on Anzu's bare arms with unsurpassable warmth, she wasn't sure how the day could get any better. Not only had it not rained that entire day, but, she had made it early to school, made amends with both her new English teacher and the Principal, and didn't have any math homework.

_Oh, and the best part?_ she thought to herself. She smiled gleefully, stretching her arms out in jubilance.

"Kaiba's not here today!"

Yami set down his lunch tray next to Anzu and plopped down right besides her," Did you notice!"

"Of course!" she said with a laugh," a fact which makes thiss day the BEST DAY EVER!"

The boy couldn't help but smile at her child like exuberance. She'd been acting rather down the past few days, and Yami hadn't been able to help if there was a problem. However, Anzu's restored perkiness reassured him that the rain was the only thing dampening the girl's spirit.

"Hey Anzu," Yugi said, and he sat down on the opposite side of the bench, across from Yugi," No Kaiba today to get into a fight with."

She laughed happily, her eyes sparkling," I know, that's just what we were talking about. It's great, isn't it?"

Yugi nodded, and dug into his home made lunch. Unlike Yami, Yugi could just never get used to school lunches…that particular day Anzu couldn't help but notice the difference between the two. Besides the almost 3000 year age difference, there were subtle difference in both looks and personality. Most people, upon meeting the two, instantly considered them identical twins, but close observation revealed otherwise. Yami was somewhat taller than his counterpart, and his voice was noticeably deeper. Yugi's eyes were younger, more jubilant and naïve, and also more purple; Yami's crimson eyes revealed an unfathomable age and wisdom mixed with an insatiable curiosity. Most of Yami's features were more sharply defined than Yugi's. Yami had as many female admirers as the other leading "hotties" of the school: Seto Kaiba and Duke Devlin. Anzu wasn't sure what drug the girls who admired Kaiba were currently on, and Anzu considered Duke tacky in his wooing, especially when he tried to incorporate his name…_With a name like "Devlin" _she thought _you're bound to go wrong…_ Now, with Yami on the other hand, it was perfectly understandable how a girl could be attracted…

"Anzu? Anzu? Are you alright?"

Anzu was snapped out of her reverie by a soft voice. She looked away from the Motous and

up to the person looming above her.

"Hm? Oh, yea I'm fine," she said quickly, blushing slightly as both Yami and Yugi stared at her strangely.

"Is it ok if I sit here?"

Anzu nodded," Yes, please do Ryou. Sorry, I was just…distracted…"

"I imagine…" Ryou muttered, a trace of laughter in his voice. She blushed even harder, knowing what Ryou was hinting. She ducked down to pull out her lunch box while she tried to bring her color back under control. While she had known Yugi and Yami the longest, she had become the best of friends with Ryou. He was quiet, but polite and understanding, and would listen to whatever she had to say whenever she had to say it. He was like the big brother she'd never had, and naturally, he knew about her feelings for Yami. Anzu took another breath, and then resurfaced, bringing her lunch box up onto the table. It was a soft pink and white with ballerinas decorating the front and a pair of matching chopsticks. She had had the lunch box since grade school- the three beautiful figures on the front had inspired her to be a dancer from the first time she had seen them. She had been coming closer to her goal with each passing day. As she opened it, she sighed. If only her lunch was as beautiful as her lunchbox. Anzu had never been a good cook – she had difficulty making ramen without setting it on fire – so lunch was always a bit of a stretch for her. Today, it was a messy peanut butter sandwich and some rice smushed into a Tupperware container from last night's Chinese delivery.

"Yum, another satisfying lunch courtesy of Chef Mazaki," Ryou teased. Anzu pouted.

"You'd best keep quiet," she shot back," Or you'll be getting a huge helping of Chef Mazaki's special recipe!" Anzu shook a fist at him wildly, and he laughed.

"I hope it's better than what you've got today…" he muttered.

"Oh shut up…"

"Hey guys! Over here!" Yugi yelled, and waved wildly. Three boys pushed through the crowd – Jou, Honda, and Marik. Jou's younger sister Shizuka trailed behind them like a chick following a pack of clucking hens. Jou and Honda were laughing uproariously as they balanced their loaded lunch trays, apparently trying to make Marik join in. Marik himself, normally as loud and rambunctious as the other two, was unusually dour looking. The three sat down, followed by Shizuka who sat down on the end next to Marik. DUuke

"Hey Jou, Honda, Duke, Marik! Isn't today great?" Anzu asked, a smile stretching across her face. Jou and Honda replied affirmatively before lunging into their piles of food messily. Duke nodded and then began talking to Shizuka in low tones. Marik just kind of blinked and sighed, before replying," Yea… only if you're any other human on the planet…"

The attention of the group centered on the blonde Egyptian.

"What's wrong?" Yami asked, concern filling his deep voice for his friend.

"Oh, nothing…it's just that… well, Isis is coming back into town today…"

Anzu couldn't help but notice Yami perk up at this bit of news. It was almost unnoticeable, but the way that his eyes widened slightly, and his back straightened a little…

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" she asked, not one hundred percent enthusiastic due to Yami's reaction at the name of Marik's drop dead gorgeous older sister.

"No…" Marik whined, scowling slightly," She always decides to come at the least convenient times, she just kind of swoops in and suddenly it's "Marik do this, Marik do that, Marik I'm going from A to B can you take me tonight? Marik can I stay at you're place? Oh, never mind, it's such a mess, Marik you should clean more often…"

"Well, she's got that last part right," Shizuka added with a giggle," You're room is always such a mess!"

At this statement, both Jou and Honda stopped eating and dropped their forks. Duke's heavily lidded eyes widened, and, before the poor girl knew it, she was surrounded, and being bombarded with questions from her older brother and her two most active admirers.

"When were you at his house?"

"When were you in his room?"

"Why were you in his room?"

"Shizuka, will you go out with me?"

"Shizuka, as you're older b-"

"Stop it!" Marik yelled, holding his head in his hands," You guys are all over her like a pack of hyenas on a rotting camel carcass in the middle of the scorching desert sun!"

The three boys stopped and stared at him in confusion.

"Rotting camel carcass?" Shizuka sighed," Thanks a lot Marik…"

"Sorry," he muttered, before continuing," Shizuka came over to my house a few times to work on a project in Economics."

"Are you sure that's all that happened?" Duke asked, skeptically.

"Yes Duke," Shizuka replied with a sigh," And no, I won't go out with you, but good try."

"Actually," Honda said, perking up a little," That was me."

Shizuka looked over to the boy with a sweet smile. Honda's face turned bright red, and Duke began cursing under his breath.

"Really?" she asked.

Honda nodded vigorously.

"No, I won't go out with you, but nice try."

Honda sighed and slumped down in his seat dejectedly as Duke pumped a fist in victory, obviously ignoring the fact that he too had been rejected.

"So," Yami asked," How long will Isis be in town?"

Marik sighed again, and Shizuka patted him on the back," About three weeks. Three looonnnggg weeks…"

"Well, that should be nice…" Anzu said distractedly, which only caused Marik start some strange rant in Ancient Egyptian. She was eyeing a single, almost withered looking cloud that had slowly been making its way towards the sun, as if trying to obscure its radiance. If she had ever seen a bad omen, that was it.

"Anzu, how's dance going?" Shizuka asked, causing Anzu to snap out of her mind wanderings for the second time that day.

"Hm? Oh, they're going really well. It's always such a rush though, getting there, because classes start thirty minutes after school lets out, and it's half way across town."

"So dat's why you haven't been able ta hang out in da afternoons," Jou mumbled between noodles.

Anzu nodded," It's always been my dream to dance…unfortunately I've had to make sacrifices…"

"Dancing…" Shizuka sighed dreamily," I bet you're so pretty Anzu…"

Yami interrupted her, looking more serious.

"Do your parents know?"

From Anzu's other side, she heard the sound of Ryou choking on his soda out of shock. The cloud drifted across the sun. Anzu sunk down until she was almost completely underneath the table.

"I'll take that as a no."

Anu's parents. They were important business people, who worked for a huge American based industry that did Lord-knows-what for Lord-knows-what-reasons. Anyway, it required the two to travel around the world almost non-stop, which hadn't been any problems until Anzu was born. Her parents "loved" her from afar, allowing her to do whatever she wanted to as long as it was what they wanted her to do. Dancing was not one of those things. They hated the idea that Anzu wanted to grow up to be a dancer, and had done all in their power to try and defer that dream. However, they had made their mistake in allowing Anzu to stay in her home town of Domino rather than making her travel with them. She was able to take dancing lessons in secret, as long as she paid for them with her own money, which she was able to scrounge up from a job at the local burger joint. Of course, that was becoming even more difficult, as one of the other conditions of allowing her to remain in Domino was that she pay her own rent and provide for herself. The only thing they paid was the minimal tuition of Domino High School. They utterly disapproved of her passion for dance…but what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them.

Ryou finally got past his coughing fit, and tried to change the subject.

"So Anzu, you never mentioned how the meeting with the Principal went. She's an evil woman, I know. Bakura's left me to take the blame for his pranks more than once…"

However, his distraction failed. Yami was still zeroed in on Anzu, causing her to squirm uncomfortably. However, she met his gaze as calmly as he could.

"What if your parents find out? What will you do then?"

Anzu glanced at Ryou, who shrugged, unable to offer any assistance.

"They won't" Anzu replied, voice more hesitant than she would have liked. Yami nodded and took a bite of his blueberry muffin. An awkward silence settled over the lunch table. Anzu could never be sure what Yami thought of her dancing…sometimes, he seemed so supportive of it, and other times, like today, he seemed to disapprove of it as much as her parents did. That was one thing, Anzu had decided, that she would change after they were married. Like they would ever get married. While she knew Yami paid a lot of attention to her, she had seen how he stared at Isis Ishtar, the beautiful Egyptian museum curator. She was also a holder of a Millennium Item, which was one thing Anzu didn't have going for her.

"So…when's the next tournament coming up?" Shizuka asked in an attempt to break the uneasy silence. It worked. The table was suddenly a flurry of conversation, with Anzu sitting on the outside as a spectator. She looked up to the sky again. The cloud hadn't moved on.

"Next Friday," Yugi said," His eyes sparkling brightly," And this time, I'm going to beat you Yami!"

He punched his look alike playfully, and then launched into a strategy conversation with Duke, Jou, and a slightly more cheerful looking Marik. The topic of Duel Monsters in the group could brighten almost anyone's mood.

Yami didn't respond to Yugi's comment. He was still staring at Anzu.

"Will you be able to come to this one? You missed the last one."

"And the one before that," Honda added.

Anzu pushed her rice around with her chopsticks, and then looked at them all apologetically. Ryou muttered something like," All should just leave her alone about it…" The group stared at her expectantly.

"I'm sorry guys. I have dance."

"Of course Anzu," Yami said, breaking his eye contact with the uneasy girl. Anzu also looked away, taking a glance to the sky. The cloud not only had stayed, but seemed to her to have gotten more solid. Bigger, heavier, darker. In Yami's voice, a slightly downcast note could be heard.

"You always do."

* * *

"Au revoir Madmoiselle!" Anzu called, waving to her dance instructor.

"Au revoir Anzu! Keep up on those steps! You were much more focused today than you've been in a while."

Anzu smiled as she walked out of the warm, cozy studio. She was instantly soaked by the blast of cold rain and the equally cold wind. Her good mood dampened, literally, Anzu muttered words not appropriate for a girl of her age but Jou and Honda had taught her, and set out onto the sidewalk. She hunched her shoulders and grumbled, clutching her bag close to her in a futile effort not to get its contents wet. Anzu began to trudge back to her apartment complex, which was over seven blocks away. She tried to look up to the sky, to see if that one cloud that had climbed across the sun was now hovering above her head in an attempt to ruin her day, but the sharp, needle like rain drops drove down on her face and forced her to look back down. The streets and sidewalks were devoid of all life; the deserted state of the city made Anzu uneasy. The rain penetrated her light jacket and soaked through her tee-shirt. Anzu thanked her lucky charms that it was navy blue and not white, because she knew from first hand experience at Sea World that there was nothing worse than a wet, white tee-shirt. The rain soaked her to the marrow, and then, she was sure, beyond that. The constant gurgling of her stomach didn't help her bedraggled state. She hadn't eaten since lunch, and all that was on her mind was getting home, drying off, and having a bowl of cereal and some leftover leftover Chinese. They weren't the best meals for a growing ballerina, per say, but Anzu had to take what she could get.

The rain suddenly stopped, but Anzu could still hear a dull thud, as if it were still coming down. Confused, she looked up and saw, not the dark, heaving rain clouds, but a light blue umbrella. Startled as she was, nothing could compare to the shock that ran through her entire, water drenched body as she stared at the person attached to the umbrella. Anzu came to a dead stop, and stared unbelievingly, not even aware that her mouth was hanging open rather unflatteringly. She blinked once, twice, then pinched herself. This was no dream. And even if it had been, it had just turned to a nightmare.

"Close your mouth Mazaki, or you'll drown."

"Kaiba!" she finally spat out, after moments of shocked silence," What are you doing here?"

She stared up at him, and he stared back, his cold, ice blue eyes meeting her softer baby blues.

"Holding an umbrella," he shot back, his tone still as sharp as it had been the other day in the Principal's office," In case you hadn't noticed, it's raining."

Anzu suddenly felt her temper flare up inside of her. Here she was, soaking, tired, and hungry, her day ruined by the rain, and Kaiba was standing in front of her, with nothing better to do in his life than to stand there, hold an umbrella over her head, and mock her.

"I have noticed, thank you very much. You can hold that umbrella over yourself and leave me alone. Or would you prefer that I shove it u-"

"Temper Mazaki. I may be selfish and arrogant," he said, and Anzu could swear she heard a trace of humor in his voice," But I'm not impolite."

She began to walk quickly, trying to get away from his and his cold but burning remarks, but Kaiba kept up, merely walking his usual long strides and holding the umbrella.

"Coulda fooled me…" she muttered angrily. Out of the corner of her eyes, she thought that she saw Kaiba smile slightly, but when she turned to face him, his face was the same emotionless palette it had been at school. The taller boy was wet – no, soaked, much more than she was, as if he had been out in the rain for hours. Kaiba's hair was plastered to his forehead, and his clothes clung to his body. He had abandoned his typical trench coat and sported just a simple long sleeve turtle neck and pants, both black, and both fitted. Water dripped from his hair and slid down the side of his head. While Kaiba dutifully held the umbrella over her head, he himself stood outside of the contraptions safety, allowing himself to get even wetter. The sky grew darker as they walked, and soon, lightning flashed, followed by the slow, baritone roll of thunder. The lightning lit up his profile, making the boy seem even more unreal than he already did.

_When the cloud is rolling over thunder striking me _

It's as bright as lightning and I wonder why I couldn't see…

"You weren't at school today," Anzu said, trying to scrounge up a scrap of conversation before she died of unease. She would have rather traversed the streets alone than have to try and think of something to say to her worst enemy. Well, something that wouldn't involve violence or loosing control of her voice box.

"A fascinating observation. I didn't expect you to notice," he replied, sarcasm dripping in his voice like acid.

"Well… I…"

"And I suppose you and the rest of the nerd herd must have laughed about it all day too."

Anzu looked down to the wet sidewalk, biting her lip guiltily. She _had_ laughed at the fact that Kaiba hadn't shown up at school that day.

"Well…" she tried," No…"

"Don't lie Mazaki. You don't do it well."

"Well, sorry."

Kaiba ran a hand through his wet hair, a surprisingly human action," Like I just said. Don't try. You don't lie well."

"… well… you're an insufferable snob who…"

"Where were you coming from? Why were you walking out in the rain?" Kaiba asked, his voice returning back to his deep monotone.

"I should ask you the same thing. And why are you dripping wet if you have an umbrella? You do realize it's raining?" Anzu snorted, throwing his own words back at him.

"There's no point in asking me questions. You know I won't answer Mazaki. Now answer my question."

Anzu stopped and placed her hand on her hips. Kaiba stopped besides her.

"Why should I answer your questions?" she challenged.

Kaiba stared at her again, his eyes turning all thought processes numb like they always seemed to. Anzu was having trouble even thinking coherently…

"Because I said so."

For a moment, Anzu had to refrain from bursting out in laughter. He sounded so much like a spoiled child trying to win an argument. However, he was right. There was that power he dangled over her, the one she couldn't control.

"I was coming home from dance lessons."

"Hm." he grunted. That was all. The two walked in stony silence, Anzu blissfully dry while Kaiba continued to be pelted by the rain. Walking a step ahead of him, she slowly realized that she was leading him to her home, and that soon enough, Seto Kaiba would know where she lived. He would know that Anzu lived in a dingy apartment nestled in between other dingy apartments in a dingy apartment complex. Sure, it wasn't the worst place in the world, but something about the fact that he was Seto Kaiba, one of the richest men on the planet, repelled her from the idea of having him see where she lived. Not like she could do much about it, Kaiba refused to move from her side, where he carried the light blue umbrella.

"Eh… this is my complex," Anzu mumbled," I can make it from here."

Her apartment was on the third floor, but the stairs and outside hallway to it were covered, so she didn't expect that Kaiba would walk her all the way there. Or at least, she hoped not. Much to her relief, and somewhat to her agitation, all Kaiba did was turn around and walk away. With a flourish, he closed the umbrella, and set out again in the rain.

"Kaiba!" Anzu shouted, suddenly remembering something. The figure turned around, and even though it was from a distance, she could feel his eyes settle on her. She really didn't want to do this, but she had to. It was her duty.

"Thank you."

He blinked, then muttered something and walked away, holding the closed umbrella in one hand and letting the rain continue to beat him.

* * *

"Was that Seto Kaiba? THE Seto Kaiba?"

Anzu sighed and nodded as she shut the door of her apartment and slid down to the ground, exhausted. Mai Kujaku, her part time roommate smiled as she took Anzu's wet bag from her.

"So…are you two…?"

Anzu's eyes shot wide open," NO! NEVER! Not in a million kagillion trillion years!"

Mai laughed," Whatever you say hun. It sure looked like it to me. Anyway, you looked famished," she shoved a plate to Anzu, who accepted it readily," Eat. You're as skinny as a twig. And don't go on about those sacrifices you make for being a dancer. You can't dance if you die of exhaustion."

"Yes mother," Anzu responded, before diving into the plate of food. Unlike Anzu's cooking, it was delicious. Mai straightened up the apartment while Anzu ate wearily. Mai was Anuz's occasional room mate. After the last Battle City tournament, Mai had given up dueling for good and instead took up modeling, at which she flourished. Another thing changed after Battle City too – the way Mai looked at money. She was now a relatively careful spender, and wasn't as concerned with what was the most expensive as she was what was more practical. Her modeling career took her all over the world, and paid her more than any Duel Monster's tournament ever had, but instead of buying a huge suite in the middle of Downtown Domino, she opted to room with Anzu in a smaller apartment that was closer to her agency's HQ. She helped pay for the rent and cooked, and in turn, Anzu allowed her to live there whenever she was in town, and decorate the place however she pleased. Unlike the outside of the apartment, the inside was by no means dingy; instead, it was a new, modern blend of color. Each room had its own color theme which correlated to its purpose. After modeling, Mai was considering interior decorating.

The two girls, best friends, chatted for about an hour, going through all of the gossip of Domino, new movies they had seen, and of course, guys!

"Oh, by the way…" Mai said, with a sly grin on her beautiful face," A boy named Ryou called while you were out…"

"Ryou?" Anzu perked up at this," What did he want?"

"Eh, I don't know," Mai replied, shrugging and causing her thick blonde curls to spill off of her shoulders," But I do know he wanted you to call him back. Is there something you haven't mentioned Anzu?"

Anzu sighed," No Mai, there hasn't been. Ryou's just a good friend."

"Ah, of course," she replied with a wink," A friend."

Anzu rolled her eyes and picked up the phone to dial Ryou's number. However, just as she was about to turn the phone on, it rang in her hand, causing her to jump. She pressed the "Talk" button and raised the phone to her ear.

"Hello, Mazaki/Kujaku residence, this is Anzu speaking."

"Oh, Anzu good!" Ryou's voice rang out, sounding relieved.

From the couch, Mai shot a look Anzu's way.

Ryou- she mouthed. Mai smiled and unfolded herself from the couch, then traipsed back to her room. Anzu rolled her eyes.

"Hey Ryou, what's up?"

"Well, nothing really…" she heard the indecision in the boy's voice as he choose his next words carefully," I just wanted to make sure that… Yami didn't, you know… make you feel guilty about the whole dancing thing. I know it's you're dream and everything, and I just don't think that he should try to make you quit just because you've missed a few tournaments.

Anzu cradled the phone in her hands and flopped down onto the couch that Mai had previously occupied.

"I know, I know. Don't worry about it Ryou. It takes much more than a little jab at my conscious to get me to give up. I'm sure that Yami's just stressed over the next match and wasn't really thinking."

"Yea…" Ryou replied, hesitant," Just remember Anzu, What happens to a Dream Deferred (1)?"

"Does it dry up like a raison in the sun?" she replied, laughing.

"No, it explodes," he said firmly.

"Of course, that's right." she said," Anything else?"

Ryou paused on the other end, as if gathering his thoughts.

"Yes. Isis Ishtar."

Anzu groaned," Ugh, not you too!"

"Not me too what? Oh, the whole Yami thing…"

So he had noticed it too.

"No, I'm not prone to fall into adoration of Miss Ishtar, but you should watch out. I always get a strange feeling when her name is brought up. Like she's up to no good, or plotting something. I know I've only met her once or twice, but still… beauty can be deceiving."

"That's for sure," Anzu muttered," Anyway, I should probably go. I have some English I need to work on. Unless, of course, you'd like to make my life easier tonight and just give me the answers?"

"Absolutely not."

"But I'll love you forever," she said, sounding sappy.

The British voice at the other send sighed," Of course you will dear, you already do. Now, go to you're English homework. In case you've forgotten, Black American Poets."

"Yes sir…" she replied, and then laughed. Ryou laughed heartily on the other end.

"Good Night Anzu."

"Good Night Ryou."

* * *

The cell phone rang on his desk, something that rarely ever happened. If anyone ever need

ed to speak with him, they called through the main Kaiba Corp Line, where his secretaries filtered them further than routed them to his office line. Few people had the number of his personal cell phone, one of them being Mokuba. The number registered as unfamiliar, and it didn't resemble the number of the Domino Police Department. Kaiba prayed with all his might that Mokuba hadn't gotten into more trouble. He flipped the phone open, and answered with his typical greeting.

"Kaiba. What do you want?"

There was a moment's pause on the other end, and then suddenly, and sweet voice came gushing over the other end.

"Seto, darling! The flowers were absolutely gorgeous! I just adore the cherry blossoms mixed with the jasmine! These are even better than the bouquet you sent for my birthday! You hadn't replied to my last e-mail, and I was so afraid that you had forgotten I was coming back to town! Oh, you're the most wonderful man in the world!"

Seto Kaiba smiled a little as he listened to the lilting voice flowing with praises. In all honesty, he _had_ forgotten she was coming back into town, but fortunately his secretary had reminded him in time to have flowers delivered to where she was staying. Apparently, sending flowers was the boyfriend kind of thing to do, and sending flowers was one thing he was good at.

"Hello Isis. I hope your flight went well."

* * *

Wai! Who would have guessed? Not me! The last idea was courtesy of my beta…you have no idea how much that one comment will change everything! Anyway, this cliffie is courtesy of me, and the fact that I have to sleep and eat like normal humans, and the fact that I have a Physics final coming up tomorrow. One that I haven't started studying for. On the bright side, I'm chock full of ideas for the coming chapters! Things will be moving fast, so buckle up, hold on, and prepare for the ride of your life! Alright, maybe not that fast, but you get my point! I really love so many of the characters. Kaiba, Anzu and Ryou are such good characters because, in the series, nothing about their personalities are set it stone. It leaves me more room to play around with emotions, traits, and relationships. This is going to be fun!

Oh, and that note (1)- The two are kind of referring to the poem A Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes. I don't have it with me, so I kind of just took the general concept and inserted it, but if you ever have the chance to read it, you should. It's a good one. In fact, a lot of Langston Hughes poetry is good, as is Poe. Whitman's not bad either, Angelou… yea… enough on that…

RR

Thanks to: My most awesomest reviewers! I only got one more than the original posting of the chapter, but I think some of that may be due to my not so attention grabbing summary! Either way, I'm not complaining! Thanks oodles! Personal replies next chapter, sorry guys!


	3. Phone Home

Hey everyone! Here is the much wanted Chapter Three of Like the Rain! Thank you so much for your reviews so far, I feel so loved. I think you guys will like this chapter, or at least I hope so! As usual, my blurbs are at the end of the chapter. Please, read and review, or I might cry! Well, maybe not, but I'll still be sad… oh well, now that I'm finished with my emotional form of bribery, let the show, erm, story, begin!

RR

* * *

Like The Rain by Revolutionnaire Rouge

Chapter Three- Phone Home

* * *

"Anzu! Anzu! Come sit here!"

As Anzu entered the English classroom, Yami and Ryou waved her down, summoning her to sit in the empty seat between them.

"Morning Ryou, Morning Yami," she replied, setting her bag on her desk and her wet umbrella on the floor. It was raining again, big slow drops this time, and she imagined the rain would probably last all day. For some reason, the knowledge of that didn't bother her in the least, in fact, it was rather reassuring. She had slept well for the first night in ages, the patter of the rain on the roof of the top-story apartment lulling her to sleep. She wasn't sure if she liked the wetness of the air or the darkness of the sky, but with time it was becoming more bearable. Of course, it had helped that she'd remembered her umbrella that morning.

"Good Morning Anzu!" Yami said, his eyes shining in a way Anzu had never seen. There was a dashing smile fixed to his face, and an excited air around him. _Excited to see me?_ she wondered as she struggled not to blush. She could only hope, deep inside that maybe, just maybe…

"Good morning Anzu…" she was distracted by the rather lack luster greeting that came from the boy on her other side, Ryou. Anzu turned to him, and was taken aback by the somewhat sour expression on his face. She knew immediately that something had happened between the two boys, and that Yami was completely unaware of it. She raised her eyes brows to her white headed friend in silent question, but he only shook his head and jerked it in Yami's direction. She turned back to the other boy, who seemed to be basking in exuberance.

"So, what's up Yami?" she asked carefully," Why so happy?"

He smiled and stared at her with his beautiful crimson eyes," There's something important I want to tell you."

Anzu's heart rate quickened ever so slightly, and she suddenly felt her stomach grow warm, and kind of queasy (it really does happen!). She was slowly loosing the battle against her blush. _Can it be? Can it be that, well?_ Anzu shot a glance in Ryou's direction, how rolled his eyes and turned away.

"Yea?" she asked, hoping that her voice didn't sound to eager, hoping that she sounded calm and collected and that her voice didn't reveal the flurry of emotion occurring on the inside," What is it?"

"Well…" he held her captive in his gaze," You know that Marik mentioned how his sister, Isis, was coming to town?"

Anzu's insides came to a grinding halt. The warm, queasy feeling suddenly turned dead cold, and she felt like a stone had settled in her gut. She hoped that her face didn't turn as pale as she felt, or that it didn't reveal her disappointment.

"Yes…" she said carefully," I do recall him mentioning something like that…"

"Yes, well, she got in last night," he said, almost bouncing up and down in his seat like a small child," and she called the shop. She invited Yugi and I to come and see the newest editions to her exhibit on the ancient pharaohs- she has things that have never been outside of Egypt until now. Isis said that Yugi and I could each bring a guest. Yugi's bringing Grandpa, and I was wondering if you wanted to come as my guest Anzu. Would you? I know how interested you are in it too, and I thought you'd appreciate it the most out of the group."

Anzu was speechless. _So…in a sense, he's asking me out on a date to go see the woman that he admires… must the world be so cruel?_

"I'm really excited about seeing Isis again, and also kind of nervous, you know? It's just been so long! So, what do you say, will you come Anzu?"

He flashed that irresistible smile again, but instead of making her legs weak, Anzu just felt disappointment. And total confusion.

"Um, yea," she stuttered," Yea, th- that'd be great. Um, I gotta go turn my homework in!"

She rose quickly out of her desk with her homework in hand and moved down the aisle the best she could. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Ryou stand up, and then sit down again, knowing there was nothing again that he could do. Anzu could feel strangled tears of disbelief start to glaze her eyes as she neared the basket where she could turn in her homework. _Don't worry, don't be dumb_ she repeated to herself _It's just a stupid crush, nothing to do about it…_

Suddenly, she felt herself flying forward as a solid object bumped into her and consequently caused her to trip. An arm snaked out to catch her, and she was violently jolted by the sudden stop. She turned to look at what, or rather, who had bumped into her, accidentally causing her to fall forward. The return of blue did nothing to improve her state.

"I'm sorry," Seto Kaiba mumbled as he righted the girl that he had bumped into. Anzu stared up at him in open shock. _Did he just…apologize to me… for bumping into me…?_

"No, no," she breathed, just trying to think of some kind of response," It was my fault, I should have been looking where I was going."

Without another word, he bent down, scooped up the papers she had dropped, and placed them in the basket. He then moved to his seat, the only other empty one in the classroom, which happened to be behind her own. The entire class had fallen silent when the two had collided, and now stared from her to him, wondering what in the world had happened. Almost on cue, everyone burst out into whispers, still staring between the two.

_He apologized to me…_ she thought with numb realization as she too made her way back to her desk. As she sat down, she noticed that Yami was glaring angrily and Kaiba, and Ryou was looking down at his textbook, pretending to study, all the while smiling contentedly. He glanced up at her, looked at Yami, and then back to her, as if saying, _Looks like someone's jealous._

Anzu shrugged, and then mouthed- _He's not the only one._

Ryou laughed quietly, and nodded. _Isis Ishtar. _He returned his focus to the textbook as the teacher entered the room and class began.

"Good Morning Class!" the teacher said, a smile gracing his wrinkled face.

"Good Morning Mr. Rupp," the class replied in heavily accented English. There were only three students in the entire class who could speak English totally of almost fluently, Kaiba, Anzu and Ryou. Ryou and Anzu had both lived in the UK for a period of time, and Anzu had also lived in New York, while Kaiba was forced to use it in running his company.

"Today," Mr. Rupp said after collecting the homework from the basket," We'll be working on finding symbols in excerpts of classic novels. You see, many authors have use, and still use, symbols in their writings to represent something other than what the object visually represents. For example, think of a fire. To most, it's and object used to bring light, warm, and cook food. It can also be associated with rescue, and, on the flip side, burning. However, symbolically, fire can mean power, strength, determination, passion, purification, and also destruction. Now, often symbols will have their own meanings that vary from person to person and outlook to outlook. For today's assignment, you'll be a few passages, and a list of certain symbols. It will be your job to find the symbols, and determine the meaning of it. This assignment not only teaches about symbolism, but also about perspective. Just because another person sees a symbol one way doesn't mean the person who sees it a different way is wrong. No, if I could have two volunteers to help me pass these passages out…" The man's eyes scanned the classroom before settling on two.

"Mr. Motou, Mr. Kaiba, would you please assist me?"

"I thought you wanted volunteers. Doesn't that mean we don't have to do it?" Kaiba challenged, looking at Mr. Rupp in a bored manner.

"Not in this classroom Mr. Kaiba. You see, the word "volunteer" is like a symbol, it varies by perspective. In my perspective, a volunteer is someone whom I chose to do a task and does so without complaining. If they do complain, they will receive lower marks for the day for interfering with the learning process. Mr. Kaiba, consider your participation grade for today to be a zero. Now, would you please pass these out?"

Kaiba grumbled under his breath and stood up from his desk, following Yami up to where Mr. Rupp was holding the papers. Yami smirked as the teacher glared at Kaiba. After passing out the assignment to the rest of the class, Kaiba plunked the papers on Anzu's desk and then sat down at his own. Anzu looked down to the passage, and the list of symbols they were supposed to define. She scanned the list, and every once and a while, a symbol pooped out at her. _Water/Ocean/Rain_. Anzu smirked, wondering at the irony. She had no doubts that she would easily be able to answer that symbol. Anzu spared one glance out the window, to where the clouds were still pouring out their innards, then turned back to her paper and began to work.

* * *

"Very good," Mr. Rupp praised Ryou as he sat down," A very interesting viewpoint on the symbolism behind jewelry. The next symbol on the list is water. Anyone care to input, or will I have to choose someone?"

At the same moment, both Anzu and Kaiba raised their hands.

"Hm, I didn't expect anyone to give in so easily. Miss Mazaki, how about you give us your thoughts on water."

Anzu stood up, and read off of her paper," Well, in the passage, the main characters are surrounded by water on all sides, on an island. It is shown in the passage, that almost every time the characters do something that would be considered by society's standards as morally incorrect, it rains, and afterwards, they realize their wrongs. In that sense, water symbolically represents purity, and the forgiveness of their wrong doings. The water also represents enlightenment and clarity, for it teaches them what is right and wrong and leads them back down the path of civilized nature. Water is uplifting, optimistic in a way."

Mr. Rupp nodded," Good, good. Now, Mr. Kaiba, what do you have to say on the matter?"

Kaiba stood up as Anzu sat down, on his face a scowl was fixed.

"What Mazaki says is wrong, fo-"

"Mr. Kaiba, before you get any further into this, I would like to remind you that part of this exercise is to realize that not everyone thinks the same, and that that doesn't make them wrong. I believe I already discussed that. Now, you may continue."

Kaiba's scowl, if it were possible, deepened as he started again," In the passage, water represents unbounded desolation. The characters are trapped on an island, surrounded on all sides by seemingly endless water. The water separates them from society and the rest of mankind – it isolates them. It also represents natural destruction – the storms that plague the island all come by way of the ocean, causing damage both mentally and physically to the characters. The water acts as a divider between the two different worlds. That's why Mazaki is completely wrong in saying that "water is uplifting and optimistic". That's rubbish."

Anzu's anger flared, and she shot up. She turned around to face Kaiba, fists clenched," Now look who's resorted to name calling," she hissed," Look, I respect your opinion. Why can't you respect mine?"

Kaiba rolled his eyes, but didn't answer. He didn't have to; Anzu knew what he would have said. _He thinks I'm not worthy of him!_ she thought, her eyes narrowing. Ryou reached up and placed an arm on her shoulder, but she brushed it off.

"Kaiba, I think that we're all allowed to have different views. We're all allowed to think different things. Why can't you accept that?"

"You think I can't?" he challenged, raising an eyebrow.

"Well," she said, searching for words," If you can, you sure aren't doing much to prove it to me and the rest of the class now."

"I don't have to prove anything to you or the rest of the world," Kaiba replied, cold and intense," Oh, and by he way, in proper English, it would be 'the rest of the class and I'."

"Yea," she muttered," The only thing you could prove would be how much of a haughty jerk you are."

"What did you say Mazaki?"

She stared him down, not faltering under his silent attack.

"You heard what I said."

"W-"

"Do I need to send the both of you to the Principal again?"

Mr. Rupp's crackling voice shot through their argument like a bullet. Almost in sync, the two turned to the teacher, who was looking dangerously furious, and then sat back down in their desks without a word.

"That's what I thought," Mr. Rupp muttered," Now, if we could continue our lesson…"

Neither Kaiba nor Anzu said another word the entire class period.

* * *

Lunchtime. It was the one time of day that Kaiba hated the most, only because it was a complete waste of time. To make things worse, the rain had stopped, instead the clouds hovered overhead like a thick nuisance. All around him, people swarmed, moved, laughed and ate, all together in groups with their friends. He himself sat alone, his back rested on the thick trunk of a magnolia tree that grew off to the side of the courtyard. Seto liked it there – the only people who bothered him were the occasional idiotic fangirls (AN: That'd be me…) who tried to tempt him with food and overdone smiles. He got rid of them quickly.

"Kaiba-kun?"

Seto looked up from his laptop and stared coldly into the eager face of a female underclassman. He saw that she was exactly like all of the others: preppy, perky, and dumb.

"What do you want?"

If the girl was taken aback by his rudeness, she didn't show it. She held out a white box tied with a red ribbon.

"I noticed that you didn't eat anything at lunch, so I brought you a lunch," she smiled, and her high ponytail bobbed cheerfully. Kaiba was disgusted, but kept his face a blank slate. The younger girl set down the box in front of him, as if making an offering to a god.

"Oh, by the way, my name is Hanasaki Tomoya. I'm a sophomore this year."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. She was bolder than the other flunkies who had bothered him in the past. He could also sense a catty and calculating mind behind her pretty, clueless façade. That boldness however, wouldn't get her very far.

"If I don't eat anything at lunch any other, what makes you think that I'd want lunch now?"

Hanasaki blinked. For a split second, her mask slipped, but she quickly recovered. But for Kaiba, it was just enough.

"Now, if you're quite done trying to attract me, would you please go? I have no patience for people like you."

This time she wasn't taken off guard. She fixed a pout on her heavily glossed lips," I don't understand what you're talking about. I just wanted to do a good deed."

"Oh, I'm sure," he mumbled, rolling his eyes," If you really want to do a good deed, you can start by leaving me alone."

"Bu-"

Hanasaki was cut off by the sound of loud rap music, the song "Yeah." Kaiba scowled and dug through his briefcase while the song continued to play louder and louder. Finally, he pulled out a sleek, metallic blue cell phone, which was flashing and vibrating loudly.

"_Take that, rewind it back, Usher's got the beat ta make yur booty go-"_

Kaiba scowled," Crap. How many times have I told Mokuba not to mess with my phone?" he muttered to himself as the younger girl stared on, confusedly. He flipped up the cover and answered.

"Kaiba, what do you want?"

"_And a good day to you too, love."_ a sultry voice said from the other end.

"Isis, I'm sorry," he replied," But you know that I'm at school! Oh, and Mokuba put this ridiculous ring tone on my phone, so when it rang-"

"_Are you busy tonight?"_ she asked, interrupting his tirade. The girl that still stood in front of Kaiba remained unnoticed, along with her gift of food.

"I might be."

The Egyptian woman laughed on the other end,_" Of course, you always are aren't you? Well, you will be busy tonight, for sure."_

"Says who?" he replied challengingly, raising an eyebrow.

"_Says your girlfriend. Tonight is the special preview of my new Egyptian exhibit at the museum. You're going to be coming."_

Kaiba sighed," Isis, dear, you know that I'm not exactly fond of, well, Egypt."

"_But you're fond of me."_

"So you think," he said coldly. She knew though, he was teasing.

"Anyway Isis, I'd _love_ to come, but I won't be able to. I have a very important meeting this evening with the President of the Industrial Building Corporation about the new HQ building in San Francisco."

"_You had a meeting this evening. But I asked Mokuba, and he took the liberty of canceling it. Mr. Tana was very understanding."_

Kaiba's eye twitched slightly, the annoyed look slowly filling back onto his face. He really hated Ancient Egypt. That was the one thing about Isis that he wasn't fond of – she was constantly trying to convince him that he was the reincarnation of an ancient Priest, that he was destined to do this and that and blah, blah blah…

"I can't believe you," he replied.

"_Well, believe it. Be at the museum at 7 o'clock sharp. I'll be in the back room, just come back there when you get there."_

"What do I have to do?"

"_Nothing but smile and look pretty."_

"Ha ha, very funny. Now tell me, why am I doing this?"

"_Because, me dear, you love me very much."_

"Right. Look, Isis, I really need to go, lunch is almost over."

"_Alright, I'll see you tonight. Love you darling." _she purred.

Kaiba hesitated," I'll see you tonight."

She hung up, and, with a sigh, he closed his phone and tossed it back in his bag. Hanasaki had left sometime during the conversation, but had left the food there. Tentatively, he opened the box, and tried some of the food. It tasted horrible.

* * *

"Are you sure you're alright?"

Anzu slumped down in her chair and sighed, raking her hand through her hair in weary agitation. Chocolate brown eyes stared at her in concern.

"I think so Ryou. Kaiba just makes me so mad that I could s-"

"No, I meant about the whole Isis thing."

She felt herself sink lower in her chair. It was their lunch break, and instead of sitting with the others, Anzu and Ryou pretended that they'd had a project they needed to work on. Currently, they were sitting in the computer room, which, with the exception of them, was devoid of all life. Anzu stared past the blank monitor at her side out of the window, which looked down onto the lunch courtyard. From where she sat, she could see the picnic bench they normally sat at. It was busy and animated: Jou and Honda having eating competitions, Yugi talking games with Duke, and Marik and Shizuka talking in what Anzu guessed would be hushed tones. Yami was picking at his food, only looking up occasionally to provide some half hearted insight on whatever Duke and Yugi were talking about.

"He must miss you," Ryou said seriously. Anzu rolled her eyes and turned back to her friend.

"Oh, yes. Of course he misses me. He has no one else who will listen to him gush about the beautiful vixen that is Isis Ishtar. She's so beautiful, so smart, so amazing! She knows all about Ancient Egypt, all about his past, all about the God cards. And, _and_, she has a Millenium Item! S-"

"You really like him, don't you?"

Anzu looked down at her thumbs, which were anxiously twiddling in her lap. She sat up a little.

"I- I don't know. I mean, I think I do, but now with Isis and everything, I'm just no match. I just don't think that I have a chance, that I'll ever have a chance. I know I'm being dumb, I really am, it's just…"

"Anzu. Look at me."

Anzu instead looked out of the window. Her eyes wandered to the corner of the courtyard. She saw Kaiba underneath the magnolia tree, talking on his cell phone. He said something else, and then closed his phone, a cross look on his face.

"Anzu, stop looking at Kaiba and look at me!"

He grabbed her chin and turned her face towards his.

"Listen. Anzu, you're smart, funny, pretty, kind hearted, and the best dancer I know. You're considerate of everyone else around you, and you should know that no one, especially Isis Ishtar, could hold a candle to you. You're a jewel, a real jewel, and that if Yami doesn't realize that, then he's an idiot, and not good enough for you. You should never, ever let what he thinks affect how you feel about yourself. You're an amazing person Anzu."

Anzu smiled, looking into his eyes, which shone with surprising truth.

"You," she replied," Are my best friend. You're supposed to say that, even if it isn't true."

"Well, yea," he said. Anzu's smile fell, and he laughed," But in this case, everything is true."

Anzu leaned back in her chair, the feet rising an inch or so off of the ground. Ryou handed her a roll off of his lunch tray, which she gladly accepted. She turned back to look outside of the window, her leg brushing her still slightly wet umbrella. _Can't forget that_ she reminded herself mentally _Or I risk another run in with Kaiba…_

"Anzu Mazaki!" Ryou said sharply.

"What? What?" she spun back around to face him," What'd I do?"

He rolled his eyes," Don't you remember the first rule in Kindergarten? All four on the floor."

Anzu stared at him, confused, until he pointed to the leg of her chair; the front two legs still a few inches above the ground from where she was leaning back.

"Ha ha, very funny Sir." she replied, purposely leaning further backwards so that the legs would raise up further.

"Fine then," he joked," but don't come crying to me when you fall backwards and bust your head open."

"Actually, that would be rather amusing."

Anzu jumped back at the unexpected voice. Her chair tipped backwards precariously, and she tried to lean forward in a panic. However, it did no good. The chair flipped backwards, taking her with it. Anzu hit the ground with a thud, her long legs going everywhere. The chair had flipped onto her, pining her onto the cold, dirty linoleum.

"Very impressive Mazaki," the voice called out again, unmistakably cold," And I thought dancers were supposed to be graceful."

Ryou got out of his chair and squatted down in front of her.

"Told ya so," he hissed, before breaking out into gut wrenching laughter. Anzu blushed fiercely as she slowly sat up. The chair slid off of her and landed on the floor with a metallic thud. She brushed off her front, then straightened her skirt, which had, in the process of the flip, come dangerously close to giving the boys in the room and interesting view. She sat on the ground, her legs tucked underneath her, trying to muster what dignity she might have had left. Carefully, she turned to look at Seto Kaiba, who was leaning in the open door way of the computer room, his briefcase on the ground next to him. He didn't say anything as she met his gaze, but slowly, she saw a smile tug at the corners of his lips. A smile. His body shook slightly, and he looked for a moment as if he were about to turn away and burst out in laughter, as Ryou already had. Anzu stared at him, completely mystified. Her mouth slowly widened and her eyebrows rose in an expression of confused shock. This caused his lips to curve slightly, until it was almost reminiscent of a normal smile. Anzu was floored.

"You had better shut that," Kaiba said, gesturing to her mouth," or you might catch an insect. Unless of course, you're trying to resemble a frog."

"Why you-"

She shot up, but it was too fast. Her knees wobbled shakily before giving out and bringing her again to the floor. Behind her, she heard Ryou break out into a new fit of laughter. Kaiba crossed the room in three long strides, and stuck out his hand, palm up. Anzu blinked, and then looked up at him questioningly.

"It's a hand Mazaki. You take it and I help you up."

Slowly, unsurely, she put her hand into his. His fingers closed around her hand and, with unexpected strength, he roughly pulled her up to her feet. She stumbled slightly, and he caught her by the shoulders.

"And then I make fun of you."

"Wh-"

She suddenly realized that Ryou had fallen silent. She spun around to look at him. Ryou was staring at the both of them strangely. She was about to ask him about it, when suddenly, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch period. Anzu's class was all the way on the other side of the school, she should have left minutes ago in order to get there in time. She lunged towards her bag and grabbed her books. She sped past a still shocked Ryou and brushed past Kaiba. Kaiba turned as she rushed out, and watched her calmly as she ran down the hall and dodged the students who were coming in form lunch. He watched as she ran into her group of friends, bumped into Yami, muttered something and kept going, leaving Yami to stare confusedly in her direction. Ryou shouldered his bag and leisurely strolled past him, bumping into him slightly as he passed through the door way and disappeared into the crowd. Kaiba sent a sneer in his direction, and then turned back to where they had been sitting before he had come in. There a baby blue umbrella, still slightly wet, was lying against the ground next to the toppled over chair.

"Looks like Mazaki forgot her umbrella again…"

* * *

Anzu sighed, stretching contentedly as she walked down the stairs from the dance loft and down onto the ground floor. She passed by one of the rooms, where a small class was being instructed in what looked to Anzu like the tango. Just as she was about to push out of the door, she felt her bag begin to vibrate. She sighed and unzipped her dance bag some, and grabbed her cell phone.

"Hi, this is Anzu!"

"_Hey Anzu, it's me. Where are you? I called the house, and Mai told me you were at dance."_

"Um, hey Yami. Yea, Mai was right, I'm just leaving dance now."

"_Oh, alright. I just wanted to remind you about tonight. Seven, at the museum."_

Anzu internally sighed. She hadn't forgotten.

"That's right. Thank Yami."

"_No problem. I really want you to come. And by the way, it's formal. I'm really not sure what I should wear. If it's going to be nice, should I wear the belt buckles and pass up on the leather? Should I wear a suit? I was thinking about maybe wearing what I wore to the Battle City Finals. Is that too casual?"_

Anzu rolled her eyes," You know Yami, I think that'll be just fine. Anyway, I've got to go, otherwise I'm going to be late."

"_Right, don't want that. Ok, thanks! Bye Anzu!"_

Anzu clicked her phone off and angrily shoved it back into her bag. She pushed out of the dance studio and onto the streets. It was raining, just as it had been that morning, in big drops. Instinctively, she reached for her bag. _Thank goodness I remembered my umbrella…_

However, as she searched her bag, she found only dance shoes, her school uniform, dance clothes, and a few text books. Nothing that felt like an umbrella. She swung her bag around her to the front of her body so that she could see the bag and all of its contents. Nothing.

"I can't believe this, this can't be possible!" she muttered. She could go back in, and wait for the rain to let up, but it was already five and she had to get home and change. She set her bag down on the ground and got down on her knees, searching through it while getting thoroughly soaked. Anzu was sifting through the contents a third time when she felt a darker shadow descend upon her.

"Don't bother, you won't find it in there." Kaiba said in a non chalant manner. He was casually holding the umbrella over her and her bag while, like the day before, allowing himself to get wet. Anzu looked up at him from her position on the sidewalk. Today he was wearing a crimson red dress shirt, collar undone and part of the way open, and black pants. He was carrying a light blue umbrella that looked startlingly familiar to her. She opened her mouth, but he stopped her before she could utter a syllable.

"You forgot your umbrella again."

Anzu closed her bag and stood up, taking care not to break eye contact with him.

"What are you doing here? Are you following me or something?"

Kaiba rolled his eyes," Don't flatter yourself Mazaki. I wouldn't even be here right now if you hadn't been in such a rush and forgotten your umbrella."

"Oh, of course! You're such a kind hearted soul that you had to come and give me my umbrella. Right!" she said, holding back the years worth of obscenities that she had compiled against him.

"I can leave right now."

"Please, do me a favor and go!"

Kaiba shrugged, and began to walk away from her, still holding her umbrella. As the umbrella moved away, Anzu felt the feeling of raindrops on her skin again. She ran towards him, until she was back under the dry safety of the umbrella.

"Hey! Give me back my umbrella!"

Anzu reached up and tugged on it, and to her surprise, he let go. She pulled with such force, that she stumbled backwards and the umbrella snapped closed, leaving them both to stand in the rain. Quickly, she opened her umbrella and raised it over her head. Anzu walked at a brisk pace just to meet the strides of the long legged C.E.O., who was still walking in the direction of her apartment complex.

"Thank you," she said meekly.

The two walked in almost complete silence for minutes, the sound of the rain partially filling in the awkward gap of silence.

"Tears don't suit you." Kaiba said suddenly, his voice monotone.

Anzu almost stopped, but instead lifted the umbrella slightly so that she could see him more clearly.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," he said, flipping a wet strand of hair out of his eye," Tears don't suit you. Like from this morning."

This time she did stop, and so did he.

"I wasn't crying," Anzu said, her voice a little too defensive for her own taste.

"Right, so you're eyes normally resembles water fountains. Look, I'm not stupid, you were crying this morning."

Anzu started walking again, silently wishing that Kaiba would just drop off of the face of the earth. The rain was starting to come down harder, but Kaiba seemed not to notice. He was staring at her intently.

"Okay, okay, so I was crying. What's it to you? My life is none of your business."

"No one else seemed to care, except maybe Ryou. What about Yami?"

Anzu visibly stiffened at the sound of his name came from Kaiba's lips. She said nothing.

"Just like I thought," he went on to say.

"Why are you suddenly so talkative?" Anzu hissed.

"Why aren't you? Did you and your lover have a fight?"

Anzu whacked him with her umbrella," He's not my lover!" she yelled. The few people other than them who walked the streets turned and stared at the girl. Anzu blushed, and lowered the umbrella until it almost covered her face. "You're just trying to get me in trouble, aren't you? For your information, Yami and I did not have a fight. In fact, he's completely oblivious! And it's all because of Miss Ishtar," she finished in a snide mumble.

Kaiba raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. He knew that now he'd gotten her started, he wouldn't have to say another word.

"Now that Isis has come back to town, all Yami can do is fawn over her. All the time, it's Isis this and Isis that – come on, he hasn't even seen her in months! Like this afternoon, he called me to ask me what he should wear tonight for the new exhibit opening. Hr wants to look good for _her_ I'm sure! It's so obvious he's head over heels for her, and what does he do? Yami goes and invites me to the same stupid exhibit party! I mean, come on, how dumb! To ask the girl who likes you to go and visit the girl you like! It drives me insane, and he has no idea. And now, I promised I'd go, so I've got to get home, get ready, and then get all the way to the museum, when I'd rather just go home and die or something! But no, I get to stanf around and listen to Yami talk about Isis all night. She makes me so mad!"

Anzu took a deep breath, calming herself. She was pretty sure that she'd gotten it all out, although she wondered if Kaiba could hear her over the sound of the pounding rain. Wait, Kaiba could hear…?

"Crap!" she yelled. Kaiba just smirked. Anzu threw her umbrella down and turned to him, fists clenched, fury shaking her body.

"You-you made me-"

"I didn't make you do anything Mazaki. You told me all this yourself." he replied coldly.

"Gah! You know, I'm sick of this! Just leave me alone!"

"Good enough for me," Kaiba said," We're at your complex anyway. Although I really shouldn't have bothered bringing you the umbrella, seeing as you didn't use it for half of the trip. You're soaked."

Anzu snorted in anger and frustration," Look who's talking."

Anzu turned away from him and began towards the stairs.

"Do you need a ride?" Kaiba asked.

She had no idea what he was talking about, so she just pretended not to hear him. Quickly, she climbed the stairs, only wanting to get into some dry clothes.

Kaiba watched as she trotted up the stairs, muttering things under her breath. He quirked an eyebrow, and then turned and walked in the rain, picking up Anzu's umbrella where she had abandoned it. He really didn't think Isis would mind if he arrived a little early. She might mind him being wet.

* * *

Hello again! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you love me, you'll review. Waves hand in front of computer screen like a Jedi You will review. You will review. Anyway, thanks to my great reviewers!

Chapter One:

The Cougar: Short and sweet. Thanks!

Aherocansaveus: Yea, tu est tres pathetique. Not really.

Suzieq2005- Thanks! It's great to have an original reviewer come back, sorry I was out for so long…

BradyBunch4529- Yes, that's definitely the best part about their interactions, the arguing. Thank you so much. Seto and Anzu are really flexible, and it's nice to kind of break away from the cliché…at least I hope I am. Thanks again.

MischiefMagnet- Thanks, I'm glad I could provide some amusement. And thanks, I want my French to be functional more than anything - I'm definitely going to have to be understandable to people of all different sobrieties. Lol.

Tamis- Eh, merci! I sometimes forget about things like that.

Chapter Two:

Dreamer of Dragons: What a poo head teachers can be. And biased. But that's another conversation! Anyway, I really love A Dream Deferred, and while I don't remember it word for word, I like to reference to it every once in a while. Thanks, I want it to be scheming…like a soap opera, but maybe without the reincarnations and funky eyebrows…

Suzieq2005- Lol, thanks for reviewing again. Yea, my beta wanted me to have Isis be the hot ex-flame, but I thought she'd be better as kind of a nuisance to Kaiba, who happens to also be his girlfriend. Yes, it's very strange to picture, which is why it ain't lasting long…

Mischiefmagnet- Arigato. And yes, it does seem right. I'm glad you're enjoying this, I hope this chapter kept your interest "piqued".

The Cougar- Whoa, déjà vu. Thanks.

ChaosJenny- Great name. Yes, it's like a big…polygonal shape of love, lol. Some will win, some will lose, and some will, well, get wet. I hope it works out!

aherocansaveus- Like I said before, "jerkwad" is a term or endearment. Thanks for your input on this chapter!

LuvinAniManga- Welcome back! I almost cried when I found you'd been booted. Thank you sooo much for reviewing! You're one of my favorite authors, and a lot of your work has helped me get back into writing fanfiction. I'm never logged, so I never review, but I've read most of your stories. I'm going to get better at leaving reviews. I remember when I was looking back at the old Like The Rain and realizing you had reviewed (when you reviewed was before I was a fan, when I realized you had reviewed was after I was waiting every slow day for a new chapter of Beach Bonanza). Wow, thanks. I really like RyouXAnzu as a couple, and if I wasn't already dead set on putting Anzu and Seto together, I would consider writing a fiction with them. Maybe that will come later on. Thanks again! dances in excitement

* * *

Alright, that's all! RR


	4. Exhibit A

Hey readers! Here it is, finally, chapter… counts four, of Like the Rain! I'm really pleased with how everything is turning out, thank you so much for reading and reviewing. I apologize that it's taken so long for this chapter to come out – it was coming to the final week of Physics and I had my test to study for, and things to get ready for and well, I had no time. Sorry! But now I finally get a summer break! This chapter is extra long, so read, review, and rave (to all of your friends…jk). Once again, please no flames.

I know I normally do my author blurbs at the end of the chapter, but this is important so:

For the next three weeks, I am going to be away from home, and for most of that time in places where internet access is going to be limited if not non existent. There will be some times where I can work on my lap top on the next few chapters, but even that will be limited to my location. I will try my hardest to get to next chapters written and out. Please be patient, I will have the next chapter out before the end of the month, and, if we're lucky, the next two or three. I really am sorry! U Have a great summer!

RR

Disclaimer: waves hand like a Jedi master I did not forget chapter three's disclaimer. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, I do not own the song "Like the Rain", and I am not a Star Wars nerd.

* * *

Like the Rain by Revolutionnaire Rouge 

Chapter Four- Exhibit A

Dedicated to my brother, aherocansaveus. Thanks, I love you Anh.

* * *

Anzu sighed as she entered her apartment and came face to face with her roommate. Mai had a sly look on her face, which Anzu had come to know could only mean trouble. 

"Don't say a word," she breathed as she passed the blonde and made her way to her room. Mai raised her hands defensively as she followed the younger girl.

"Look, I was just going to tell you that Yami called, to remind you about the coming to the museum tonight. Are you two finally going on a hot date?"

"Hardly," Anzu said," No, we're going to the museum for the opening of the new Ancient Egyptian exhibit. _Isis Ishtar_ invited him."

"Ah, right – the infamous Isis Ishtar. The no good, conniving, rotten, crush stealing Isis Ishtar. At least she hasn't gotten to Kaiba yet." Mai raised a finger as if remembering something," And on that note, I also want to make the casual observation that you walked home with Kaiba. Again."

Anzu snorted as she threw open her closet and started to dig through it, looking for a dress," I didn't walk home with Kaiba, Kaiba walked home with me. There's no getting rid of that guy!"

She peered into the back of her closet," Mai, have you seen my black dress?"

"Yea," Mai said, sitting on the bed behind her," You had me take it and some other things to the dry cleaners a day or two ago. Anyway, back to Kaiba. I mean, come on girl! You should be glad that he's paying attention to you. I know a lot of girls who would _die_ just to even have the guy look at him. And I'm not talking just the girls at Domino High School; I'm saying that Seto Kaiba is like, an international icon!"

"Ewww…" Anzu said," I'm sure the world would think differently if they knew the real Seto Kaiba. The cold, arrogant, rude, mean, stand-offish Seto Kaiba. And did you say my dress was at the cleaners?"

"Yea," Mai said offhandedly, waving her hand as if waving the thought away," Now, if you ask me, I think that his personality is part of what's attractive about him. He's such a mystery, you know?"

"No, I really don't think so," Anzu said, glaring at her roommate. Just like Mai to talk about boys when there was a real emergency at hand! "Mai, what am I going to do if my dress is at the cleaners?" she looked at the digital clock on her night stand," There's only an hour left before I need to be at the museum – there's no time to go to the cleaners and then come back and get ready!"

Mai's face lit up as she jumped off of the bed and grabbed Anzu by the hand," Anzu, I thought you'd never ask! The agency had some extra outfits left over from one of the last shoots, and I begged the director to let me have them! I went through them, and picked out some for both of us, because I knew that you only had ONE DRESS, and come on, a girl needs more than ONE DRESS!"

Anzu rolled her eyes as her friend with the fashion fetish continued to ramble. Mai pulled Anzu into her own room, and over to her walk-in closet. When the two had bought the apartment, Mai had had a custom construction company come in and alter her room. The result: one small bedroom, and one massive closet. Mai flipped a switch and the lights inside of the closet came on, revealing the model's racks on clothes, shoes, and other various accessories. In the middle, on hangers, were the newest editions to Mai's ever growing collection – six elegant, and extremely expensive looking party dresses. Anzu stared as Mai began going through them as though it was nothing new. Anzu's parents had money, that was for sure, but after Anzu had separated from them, they never shared the wealth. Anzu was forced to work to make her own money, and wasn't used to really nice things – almost the opposite of her friend Mai. Mai swept over and put a dress into Anzu's arms.

"Now, I know you said the part was formal, but I imagine it will be more like Business casual formal that New Years Eve party formal, so I think that this dress will work out just fine. It's not to precise, not overdone or flashy, but definitely sleek, simple, and sexy!"

Anzu blanched as her friend went on. _Honestly, sometimes, fashion just goes over my head…_

"This isn't the only dress I got for you, but I think that this is the one you should wear for tonight. It's much classier than you're old black dress anyway," Mai finished," So now, put it on!"

Mai left as Anzu changed out of her clothes and into the dress that she had selected for her. Anzu smiled unsurely as she evaluated herself in the mirror. The dress came to about her knees, and rather than having sleeves, had a halter that tied back around her neck. It was a creamy off white, much like the color of a pearl, with a large black stripe that came around the waist where the bottom flared out. There was black trim around the edge of the bottom, and black netting underneath that helped the skirt poof out some. She spun around in front of the mirror. It fit perfectly, and Anzu did have to appreciate her friend's good judgment of size. The dress was a little too flashy for Anzu's taste, but it would have to do. She came out of the closet and faced Mai's torrent of happy compliments. Anzu still had some time…

She didn't protest as Mai did her make-up, nor did she fight when Mai pulled her hair up into a bun and then ironed the hair framing her face into loose ringlets. Mai finally finished, and stood in front of Anzu, hand's clasped in pure joy.

"You're done, and if I do say so myself, you look gorgeous!" the blonde exclaimed," I'd like to see that Ishtar woman even try and match you! I'm sure Yami will be floored by your beauty."

Anzu looked up at her roommate questioningly," You think so?" she asked like a small child. Mai nodded and winked.

"Honey, I know so. Now, you'd better get going, or you're going to be unfashionably late."

Anzu shifted uncomfortably in her dress as she stood up. She grabbed her purse and put on her shoes before making her way towards the front door. She had thirty minutes left to get there, and she knew that Mai was right, if she didn't get a move on, she'd be late. Anzu said her good byes to her roommate and then opened the door. She stepped outside, and saw that the rain had stopped but felt the heavy mugginess that told her that the rain was subject to start up again at any moment. Anzu cast her eyes to the sky, and saw dark clouds streaked red and purple from the light of the setting sun. Anzu entered her apartment again.

"Mai," she called," Is the car in the lot?"

Mai, who was in her closet, yelled back," No Anzu. Jou took it to the shop to get it worked on. I was having some problems with the breaks."

Anzu cursed and frantically began looking for the umbrella that she was sure she had set down next to her bags. The baby blue umbrella was no where to be found.

"Mai," she called again," Have you seen my umbrella?"

"No Anzu," she called back," You weren't carrying it when you came in, so I don't know where it is."

"I didn't have it with me?" she questioned.

"No, you didn't! Now go!"

Anzu yelled her good byes again, and exited the apartment. She was positive that she had set her umbrella down right next to her bag. As Anzu walked down the stairs she went back through her walk home.

_Hung up on Yami…realized I forgot my umbrella at school…got totally embarrassed by the most arrogant man on earth… fought for my umbrella…spilled my guts to friggin Seto Kaiba…threw the umbrella down and yelled at him… got home… go-_

"Crap," she muttered. Never during that time had she remembered to pick her umbrella _up_ off of the ground. Anzu released a whole string of curses as she made her way to the bus stop. The bus ran all throughout Domino, and one of its stops was the Domino Museum. There was no one else waiting at the stop. Her feet already ached from being cramped up in the black Stilettos Mai had forced her to wear, but she didn't want to sit down on the grimy bench nearby for fear of ruining her dress. Anzu looked up to the sky, and the clouds that were slowly moving in. From the balcony of one of the apartments behind her, Anzu could here a radio broadcast of the weather…

"_Looks like it'll be another rainy night… this rainy season has been particularly intense… over 568 more rain than any other recorded season… possible flooding…expect weather to remain like this for the next few weeks…meteorologists around the world troubled by the amount of rain Japan has been receiving… like usual, another wet one tonight, along with some scattered thunderstorms… bad night to be out on the streets…"_

Anzu sighed and rolled her eyes. _Of course it's rainy_ she thought. The sun drew nearer to the horizon, and the clock ticked nearer and nearer to seven o'clock. She dug out her cell phone and observed the time in the dwindling light.

_6:40_

She had twenty minutes to get to the museum. The bus could get her there in about ten… if the bus would show up. Anzu tugged nervously on one of her ringlets as the street lights popped on, one by one. It was getting darker by the minute. No one else was around, and her feet were killing her…

_6:45_

The bus, which should have picked her up at 6:35, still hadn't shown up. Anzu weighed her options. She could wait a bit more for the bus, and risk it never showing up, or she could start walking and maybe make it only a few minutes late.

_Or I could just go home, curl up on the couch, and eat sweets until I explode…_ she thought.

By now, Anzu decided that the bus wasn't going to come. She turned from the bus stop, and started to walk, at first unsteadily in her heels, but then with a little more confidence. One last stray look to the sky made her gut twist. Maybe, just maybe…

"Please, don't rain," she begged the sky, in a whisper," don't rain don't rain don't rain…"

A low, baritone roll of thunder echoed across the sky.

"D-ah…" she said, biting off her words in mid-curse. She was really going to have to work on that.

"Please, don't rain, just wait until I get to the museum, don't rain…" she prayed, her eyes uplifted to the sky. A single, large drop fell onto her face with a plop. The clouds, the sky, the world, and Anzu, all held their breath.

And the flood gates opened wide.

* * *

_Earlier… 6:00 PM…_

A small bell chimed from somewhere inside of the Museum as Kaiba entered in through the automatic sliding glass doors of the structure. Almost immediately, he was hit by a gust of chillingly cold air from the building's ac units that seemed to permeate his skin. Were he not Seto Kaiba, he would have shivered from the feeling, but instead, he calmly walked through the lobby. in the center of the lobby, a sign on a stand read:" New Egyptian Exhibit Early Viewing! All guests please follow signs." A picture of the Eye of Horus was printed next to the words, accompanied by a large arrow that pointed to the right.

He glanced at the guard, who in turn motioned with his thumb towards the back of the museum. Kaiba nodded and passed.

Quickly, he weaved his way through some of the main exhibits, not taking the time to admire them as so many had before. Nothing of the past interested him. He was all about the future. He passed through the old Egypt exhibit, where Isis had taken the care to make the mystery of the Millennium Items one of the main focuses. Kaiba walked by the large, stone carving that had been encased in glass and hung in the center of the room. He knew what the carving held without even having to look at it or the explanatory sign next to it. Isis had forced him to look at it many times before, and seemed to take almost any opportunity she could to remind him of his "ancient past" and "present obligations" to assist "the Pharaoh", also known as Yami, save the world from old and new evils. Seto Kaiba was just interested in running his company.

Kaiba finally left the room that contained the Egyptian exhibit, and came to a hallway. A plaque with directional arrows pointed out the way to go. The arrow to the right had words engraved underneath it: _Museum Offices_. The arrow to the left had a list of some of the other exhibits underneath it_: Early-Domino, Pre-Historic, Latin American Cultures, _and now _Early Egyptian Life II._ Kaiba snorted at the creativity of the new exhibit's name, then turned left. The only sound that filled the empty hall was the sound of his wet shoes making contact with the cold marble floor. At the end of the hallway was a plain door, with the words "Museum Offices" printed on it in black. Underneath it read "Curators Only." Kaiba opened the door and walked inside. He was met with surrounding that were rather drab compared to the grandeur of the rest of the museum. The halogen lights buzzed quietly, harshly lighting the hallway and the many doors on either side. Small plaques at eye level lined the center of the doors, catching the light and flaring brilliantly as Kaiba passed them.

_Arthur Hopkins, Dr._

_Regin Wello_

_Ainsi Hatori, Dr._

_Sohma Yun, Dr._

_Will Bryant_

_Isis Ishtar_

The door to Isis' office was cracked open slightly, and the sound of a person typing rapidly on a keyboard could be heard. As custom, Kaiba didn't knock, but instead just walked right in. Isis was faced with her back to him, typing an e-mail on her laptop.

"Put that umbrella down in the hall," she said, still turned towards the glowing computer screen," I don't want the carpet getting any wetter than you've already made it."

Kaiba sighed and leaned the umbrella against the wall outside of the office. Isis had turned from the computer and was now standing.

"Much better," she said, flashing a white smile," And you came early, albeit soaked. Have you been playing in the rain again?" she asked in a low purr.

"Maybe," Kaiba replied, crossing his arms and leaning against the door slightly. Still open, the door swung back with Kaiba's weight, and snapped shut. Kaiba stumbled forward some, something he would never do in front of anyone else. Isis chuckled, and crossed the small office and wrapped her arms around his neck, ignorant of his still dripping wet clothes. She stared up at him with heavily lidded blue eyes, then stood up on her tip-toes and kissed him. Kaiba leaned down slightly to accommodate the height difference. While Isis was older, Kaiba was still taller than her by about a foot. Isis finished and drew away, Kaiba just stood there, casually leaning against the closed door.

"When's Mokuba coming?" Isis asked, sitting back down at her desk, legs crossed. Kaiba shrugged," At seven, like all of the other guests."

"Ah, I see. I suppose it's for the better, it gives us more time together…" she replied, more suggestive than Kaiba would have preferred. "Would you like a tour of the new exhibit before the crowd gets here?" she asked with a hopeful smile.

"Not particularly," Kaiba said honestly, trying hard not to let a scowl cross his face. Isis' face drew up into a pout.

"Why not?" she asked, her eyes flaring up in anger. Kaiba sighed, scolding himself. _As Masaki might say," I'm not boyfriend material…" _he thought. Suddenly, he realized what he had thought… or, whom he had though about. Kaiba shook his head, and returned to the present.

"Isis, it's not that I don't want to see your new work," he said, trying to appease the fiery woman," It's just that, well… "

"I know, I know. You don't believe in the truth, and you don't like being reminded of it either." Isis sighed, and glanced at the clock," You're forgiven. Now, I need to go over some final notes with Professor Hopkins, and then change."

Isis stood up and walked up to him. Kaiba moved away from the door, so that she could open it. She wrapped one arm around his waist and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.

"I shouldn't be long," she whispered in his ear," Until then, behave yourself."

Kaiba grinned as the Egyptian woman walked out of the office. Isis was one of the few females he had met who wasn't willing to bow down to him and cater to his every whim. Most he'd met we're like that girl who had bothered him today at lunch… he got so sick of it. Kaiba thought of the first time he had met Isis Ishtar. They hadn't hit it off very well in the beginning… she was the unrelenting mystic and he was, well, Seto Kaiba. However, after Duelist City, they tried Domino's elite, and got along better. Everything else just seemed to fall into place, and now, they were an official couple. Well, official by their standards, not the media's – which was how Kaiba preferred to keep it. They stayed low key about their relationship, and so far, nothing had leaked, no one put himself, Isis, Mokuba, and Isis's brothers Rishid and Marik were aware of it. While Isis was more insistent that they publicly showed their affection, he had no desire to do so, which in turn annoyed the Egyptian woman. Besides that though, the only time that they had disagreements was when Isis brought up his ancient past… which she tended to do often.

Kaiba exited the office, and made his way back to the hallway. Just as he was about to open the door, it opened from the other side. He jumped back to avoid being hit, and scowled.

"Watch it," he snapped to the person who had opened the door.

"Sorry Kaiba," the opener said, and Kaiba recognized the voice as belonging to Isis' youngest brother, Marik. Behind him, another person stood. Kaiba stepped aside so that the two people could enter.

"Is my sister in?" Marik asked, tugging the other person on the hand slightly. Kaiba blinked at her, and Shizuka Katsuya blushed slightly. For the sake of Isis, Kaiba didn't make a comment on whom he presumed was Marik's date.

"Actually, she just left. Had some things to wrap up with Professor Hopkins, and then was going to change."

"Ah, sounds just like Isis. Thanks Kaiba. I just wanted to introduce Shizuka to her."

Kaiba nodded. He reminded himself that he had no vendetta against Shizuka, just her older brother. While he had only spoken to her once, on the blimp when she was begging for him to help Bakura. Unlike her brother, she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. Marik ushered Shizuka to Isis' office, and Kaiba could hear the girl whispering softly to Marik. Marik whispered something in reply, and then glanced back to Kaiba. There was an immediate understanding – Shizuka would say nothing about Kaiba and Isis to the others, and Kaiba would make no mention of Shizuka and Marik to anyone outside of the family. Kaiba nodded, and made his way out into the museum hallway.

Again, he was met with a cold blast of air; he really needed to talk to Isis about the museum's temperature. He looked to his watch, it was about six forty-five. Slowly, he moved to the front of the museum again, where Isis was talking to Professor Hopkins and his granddaughter Rebecca. Rebecca nodded to him as he passed, her pigtails bobbing slightly as she did so. Kaiba exited the museum and stood under the overhang of the entrance. It was raining, and heavily. Cars were starting to pull up to the front of the museum. Slowly, people exited their vehicles and made a dash to the safety of the overhang. Kaiba recognized many of the guests from his previous business affairs, and many were la crème de la crème of Japan.

Kaiba hadn't guessed that the opening of a new exhibit would draw in such a crowd, but yet people began to poor in, all dressed in fancy evening attire. Many recognized the young C.E.O, and gave their business like greetings, to which Kaiba gave his business like reply. A few minutes before seven, a familiar limo pulled up in front of the museum, and from it sprung a boy with wild black hair and wilder eyes. Mokuba bounded up the front steps and tackled his older brother with a huge hug. Seto returned that hug, and ruffled the boy's hair fondly, ignoring the incoming guests who stared in surprise at the display of affection that came from the normally cold young man.

"Nii-sama!" the boy said," I waited for you to get home, but I figured that you had gone to the museum straight after school."

"Yea, sorry about that bud."

Mokuba pulled away a stood up straight. He shook a finger in stern reprimand.

"You should have called. Don't let it happen again," he said, mimicking his older brother," Or you're fired!"

Seto laughed heartily as the two went inside of the museum. He looked down to his little brother lovingly. _He's not so little anymore…_ he thought wistfully. Mokuba had just turned thirteen, and it was obvious that he had inherited both the height and the looks that Seto had. Already, he was only a little shorter than Isis, and taller than most boys his age. As he'd gotten older, he'd abandoned the childish, mismatched clothing in place of a style that was faintly reminiscent of Seto's own, but without the trench coats. Despite his age, he would be entering high school next year, although he had had the opportunity to enter Duke Medical School last year, Mokuba had declined. While he had the brains that seemed to run in the family, he had something Seto didn't – the want to grow up slowly, and a strong sense of humor. Which reminded Seto…

" Speaking of calling Mokuba, my cell phone rang today at school."

Mokuba looked up at his older brother with unrealistically innocent eyes," Really brother? That's not much of a change from normal."

Seto smiled," Yes, except when my phone rings, it doesn't normally break out into 'Yeah'."

"The rap song?"

"Uh huh, the rap song. Mokuba, how many times have I told you not to play with my cell phone?"

Instead of denying it like he normally would, Mokuba just chuckled," About a katrillion times Nii-sama." Mokuba shot a quick glance to his older brother," You haven't turned on your PDA today, have you?"

Seto stopped," No, I haven't. Why do you ask?"

Mokuba smirked and began to walk away from his brother," Oh, no reason."

"Mokuba…" Seto started, but was interrupted by the feeling of a sudden weight on his shoulder. He turned, and found himself face to face with his girlfriend.

"Leave him be," she whispered, a smile on her face. Then, in a louder, professional voice, she announced," Mr. Kaiba, I'd just like to inform you that the viewing will begin in fifteen minutes. Until then, refreshments are being served in the Old Ancient Egyptian exhibit room."

"Thank you," he replied, in his normal gruff manner. Isis moved from him to one of the other guests, greeting those she knew and delivering the same message to others. Kaiba watched as she gracefully maneuvered through the crowd, laughing and smiling. As he watched, an image of someone else flashed through his mind… just a fleeting picture of another smile…

"Kaiba."

Kaiba turned at the sound of his name, a scowl fixed in place as recognized the voice and its owner. The crowd of people in the lobby fell silent as they witnessed the meeting of two of the greatest rivals of all time. Kaiba crossed his arms and spoke, his voice heavy with displeasure.

"What do you want?" he asked.

Yami didn't flinch as cold blue eyes, filled with hatred, dug into his own. His own displeasure was apparent as he stepped forward. Yugi and Sugoroku, the boy's grandfather, moved to step forward with Yami, as if preparing to hold him back, but dual glares from both duelists stopped them in their tracks.

"I want to know what you're doing here." Yami replied, his deep voice angry. Kaiba restrained himself from breaking eye contact to roll his eyes.

"The same thing you are Mutou."

Yami snorted," What Kaiba? To admire priceless Egyptian artifacts? If I'm correct in remembering, you want nothing to do with anything relating to the ancient past. Honestly, what are you doing here? Did you want this confrontation, did you want to duel me? I'm ready to take you down i-"

Kaiba interrupted him harshly," Weren't you the one always saying that life wasn't all about Duel Monsters and who's champion? Oh, no, that was you're little cheerleader girlfriend."

"She's not-"

"And speaking of Mazaki, where is she? Wasn't she the guest you invited?"

"Well-"

"You're all about morals and good manners, aren't you Mutou? Well, I certainly don't think it's polite to invite someone to an event and then not even know where she is."

Yami fumbled for a moment, before responding weakly," What do you know about manners Kaiba?"

"Enough." Kaiba shot back," And I know enough about proper dress attire to realize that when an invitation says "formal attire" that doesn't include leather belt buckles. So here's my question Mutou, what are _you_ doing here?"

Kaiba smirked as Yami didn't reply, but instead walked past him, speechless and angry. Rather than join Yami, Yugi and Sugoroku instead melted into the crowd, which had begun talking again as soon as the confrontation ended. Kaiba couldn't help but feel victorious- he had hands down made Yami furious, speechless, and embarrassed, all in front of a crowd of Japan's high class. The only thing that bothered him was his mention of the witch Yami called a friend… why had she been on his mind? _It's just because she always seems to be around_ he thought. Kaiba left it at that.

"If everyone will excuse me," a harmonious voice came from the back of the lobby," The new Egyptian exhibit is officially open!"

Everyone turned to Isis, who was standing next to Professor Hopkins. He spoke next.

"Miss Ishtar and I will be conducting the first official tour through the new exhibit. If those of you interested would please follow us, we'll take you back to the new room and begin."

The crowd all slowly began to move towards the archway where the two curators were standing. Hushed voices all spoke excitedly, people were anxious to see. Kaiba watched as they all filtered out, following in a rough line behind the two. Kaiba himself stayed where he was. While Isis would be angry at him for it later, he had no intentions of joining the crowd and enduring more endless blather about the Ancients and the past and magic and everything else a new exhibit would seem to call for.

His Rolex read 7:15. Kaiba wondered how long he would have to stand out in the lobby. He was doing exactly what Isis had told him to do, smile and look pretty. Except he wasn't smiling, just looking pretty. While Kaiba had been outside, he hadn't helped but noticed the searching eyes of some of the younger, female guests, and the pathetic jealousy that seemed to radiate from their male counterparts. Kaiba was used to being flocked over, admired, and all of that. Around 7:20, Mokuba strolled in from the other side of the lobby.

"Hey Nii-sama. Aren't you supposed to be on that tour thingy?"

"Aren't you kiddo?"

Mokuba shook his head," Naw. You know that stuff like that bores me. I really can't stand standing in front of a piece of rock and hearing about how the ancients used a bigger piece of rock to grind flour into bread for twenty minutes."

"Mokuba, the tour has only been going for five minutes."

Mokuba shrugged and crossed the lobby to join his brother. "Same thing. Actually, they were talking about how much the contributions of so and so and such and such were _so_ helpful, and that they couldn't have done it without the support of blah blah blah… not exactly flour grinding I guess, but I've been on enough museum tours to know that that was coming next."

"Now Mokuba," Seto said in a fatherly tone" You know it's important to learn about cultures other than your own, even if they're ancient ones. I'm sure that flour grinding technique was very important to many people back in ancient tribes."

Mokuba rolled his eyes, something he must have picked up from Seto," Now Nii-sama, you know that it's important to practice what you preach."

"Eh, you got a point kid," Seto said, smiling and placing a hand in his sibling's hair in a pointless attempt to try and smooth it some," And personally, I don't blame you. That kind of thing has never really interested me either."

The two fell silent for a few moments, enjoying the tranquility of the moment. Mokuba looked out of the glass front doors to the rainy streets outside.

"It's still raining outside," he observed. Seto nodded.

"Is that where you were this afternoon?" Mokuba asked, looking up at him with blue-gray eyes," Out in the rain."

"Yup," Seto replied, also looking out. Mokuba shook his head and smiled in a bewildered fashion.

"I don't think I'll ever understand you one-hundred percent Seto."

Seto smiled back, his eyes still focused on the streets, which were lit only by an occasional street lamp," That okay Mokuba. It might be better if it stayed that way."

Mokuba just laughed, then turned to his brother with a cheeky grin," You know big bro, I think I'm going to go check out the refreshments in the old exhibit…"

Seto sighed" Alright, but stay away from the soda. The last thing I need is _you_ jumping on your bed and quoting Edger Allen Poe at three a.m. again."

Mokuba pouted and gave Seto the puppy look," But I like soda… and I promise I'll only have a little." His eyes got wide and glazed over.

"Fine, fine, you can have some, but not too much!" Seto said, relenting," Just don't come crying to me when you have to wake up early tomorrow exhausted because you were up all night!"

"Tomorrow's Saturday Nii-sama." Mokuba said.

"Oh, and by the way," Seto teased," I think you're getting a little too old for the puppy eyes!"

Mokuba was about to reply, when the glass doors of the museum slid open. Both boys turned, and Mokuba was the first one to speak.

"My God Anzu, you look like Hell."

…

Seto blinked, and realized that the dripping mess that stood before them was indeed Anzu Mazaki. The girl just stood there, mouth slightly open, staring at the two, before she slowly sunk to the ground. Even as her knees hit the cold marble floor, she stared up at them, but now, instead of mouth hanging wide, she was mumbling curses.

"Damn…you…last person…to see here…what…" she trailed off, her blue eyes wide. Seto stared back, unabashedly, and observed the state she was in. She was drenched, from her head to her bare feet. Seto could see that the dress she was wearing mad once been white, but was now gray from the rain and the puddles he presumed she must have charged through, and he could now see little lakes of dirty rain running off of her skirt and onto the floor. Anzu stopped mumbling and just sat there, breathing heavily and staring. She held a pair of high heels in her hands, and the two feet that stuck out from the hem of her dress were raw and red. Her eyes, normally a bright, crystal blue, were shaded – she seemed almost like another person. Seto couldn't tell in the streams of water that ran down her cheeks and dripped onto the floor were from the hair that was wildly plastered to her face of from tears, but either way it had caused her mascara to run, forming large, black streaks under her eyes. Two long strands of hair slipped into her eyes, but she made no motion to move them. The rest of her hair, which he could tell must have been up at one point, now drooped under the weight of the water, some strips already free and streaming with water. She finally broke eye contact with him, and stared at the ground, her wet hair obscuring her face, breathing in long, gasping sobs. Her clenched hands were shaking.

Mokuba raced to her side, and kneeled down, placing a hand on her arm.

"Anzu, are you alright?" he asked, his voice laced with concern," Do you need me to call the ambulance? Do you need us to drive you home? Can I get anything for you? Do you want me to get Yami and Yugi?"

"Mokuba," Kaiba commanded firmly. Mokuba looked up, questioningly.

"Don't overwhelm her with questions."

Anzu's head raised up slowly, and she gently pushed Mokuba's hand away. "Thank you" she muttered," But I'll be alright…"

She stood up shakily, still holding her high heels. Anzu swept the hair out of her path of vision and then stared at Kaiba.

"You…" she muttered.

"Forgot your umbrella again." Kaiba replied," Really Mazaki, you need to stop doing that. It's getting frustrating."

Suddenly, albeit unsteadily, Anzu lunged forward, giving Kaiba no time to react, and crashed up against him. Her face was buried in his shirt, and she pushed away a little. Weakly, she beat at his chest with balled fists.

"You…" she said, in a rasping tone. Her hands moved down to her side, and she just stood there for a moment, her head still being supported by his torso. She took a few deep breaths, and unclenched her fists. With a final long, deep, breath, she lifted her head up, leaving a large wet spot on his shirt where she had rested it. Behind the water and ruined make-up, Seto could see exhausted eyes.

"Could you please point me in the direction of the bathroom?" she asked.

Kaiba extended a hand and pointed to the right. Anzu nodded, and began staggering in the direction that he pointed. Mokuba caught up with her and took her arm in assistance. As the two walked, Mokuba threw a glare to his brother back over his shoulder. The two exited the lobby.

Seto sighed, and waited for Mokuba to return.

* * *

"You know, you really deserve to be slapped." 

Seto looked up from his cell phone, which he had been changing the ring tone on. Mokuba was coming towards him from the direction he had left in, a scowl on his face.

"In fact," he added," I'm a little disappointed that she didn't."

Seto raised an eye brow. His little brother was furious, really, truly, furious, which was something Seto had rarely ever seen in him. Seto didn't say anything, but let his brother go on.

"I mean, come on!" he said, throwing up his hands in exasperation," The girl stumbles in, soaking wet, half to tears, cursing herself and everything around her and obviously having a horrible time, and the only thing you can think to do is to make it worse by _insulting her? _Seto, I know you don't like Anzu or her friends, but please, have a little common decency. She was practically having a breakdown!"

"She insulted me first," Seto replied weakly. Mokuba rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, taking a stance Seto had only seen in one other person. Himself. He knew things were about to get messy.

"Somehow," Mokuba said, his voice icy cold," I doubt that."

"Well," Seto countered, slowly gearing himself back up against his own brother," The whole ordeal was her own fault, you can't deny that."

"I don't think so. She can't control the weather patterns." Mokuba said, glaring fiercely.

"For one thing Mokuba, I know for a fact that Mazaki didn't even want to come to this stupid event, and for another, it was her own fault for leaving her umbrella laying there on the sidewalk in the first place!"

Mokuba's right eyebrow shot up, and Seto couldn't help but be slightly disturbed by how much his brother resembled himself in an argument.

"And," Mokuba said, voice firm," How would you know that? You hate the girl."

Seto's eyes widened. His own brother had him cornered. Mokuba knew that he didn't particularly like Anzu, so there was no way he could think up a lie, and Seto knew that if he told Mokuba the truth, he'd have a whole of to explain. Mokuba smirked as Seto hesitated.

"Checkmate," he said, unfolding his arms.

There was no way he could get out of this one now.

"Alright, fine Mokuba. You win," Seto said, making his last attempt to save himself," You're really quite the contender. You'll do well in b-"

"Don't try to change the subject brother. I want to know."

Seto mentally cursed himself for teaching Mokuba his debating skills… it was now coming back to bite him.

"Fine then Mokuba. I was out walking yesterday when I saw Masaki walking home, in the rain. She had forgotten her umbrella in the computer room, so I went and gave it to her. She got angry, and flung the umbrella on the side walk, then stormed off. That's all."

A cold laugh came from the other end of the lobby," You forgot the part where you don't leave Kaiba."

Again, both boys turned to see Anzu Mazaki standing there in front of them. She had finally come from the bathroom. Anzu violently scrubbed off the make-up that had run, which was obvious by the red streaks crossing her skin. She had also taken her hair fully down and brushed it out until it looked at least part way decent, and had returned her feet to her high heels. No longer was she crying, although Kaiba could see that she was still on the edge of losing control again.

"Or," she said," The part where you hold my umbrella, insult me for forgetting it, make me spill my guts to you, and then insult me some more. And you also forgot to mention that it happened yesterday too."

Mokuba looked from his brother to Anzu, who both scowling defiantly.

"Is this true Nii-sama?" he asked, uncertain. Kaiba's gaze did not shift from Anzu's as she replied.

"Unfortunately, yes. But only to an extent."

Anzu rolled her eyes and scowled deeper, wrinkles forming across her forehead.

"Have you see Yami?" she asked slowly.

"Again, to which I reply, unfortunately, yes."

"Where is he now?"

"How should I know, and why should I care?"

Anzu shook her head, and stormed past him, following the arrows. As she passed, Kaiba said with a sneer," I'd have to say you look better all cleaned up."

Anzu turned on her heel to face him. She was about to say something, but instead bit her lip.

It wasn't until the stinging sensation in his cheek or the howls of laughter from Mokuba ceased that Kaiba realized Anzu had left the lobby.

L

Instead of following the arrows to the new exhibit, Anzu stopped when she reached the old one. A table decorated with many different drinks and snack type foods had caught her eye, and she made her way towards it. Anzu eyed all of the food greedily, but didn't take much. While her eyes begged for vast intakes of food, she just didn't think her stomach could take it.

She couldn't believe it. The worst day, the worst moment of her entire life so far, and both had to be shared in front of Seto Kaiba. Anzu would have rather died than allowed Kaiba to see her in that state, but yet he had, and as far as she was aware, she was still painfully alive.

_I knew, from the very first moment I realized that the bus wasn't coming, that I should have turned around and gone home… forget Yami, forget Isis, forget Egypt. The only thing I want to do right now is curl up on the couch in some dry clothes with a mug of hot chocolate and a good movie… but no, here I am, stuck in this Heck-hole they call a museum eating finger food and getting ready to listen to Yami talk about how wonderful Isis Ishtar is all the while scolding me for being late. It's official. Life sucks. _

Anzu could hear voices from one of the adjoining halls, and she realized that the tour of the new exhibit must be coming to an end, and while guests were welcome to stay and individually admire it, many were probably hungry.

"Anzu!" a voice called. Anzu groaned as a spiky head bobbed through the crowd and over to her. Yami's bright face suddenly appeared in front of hers.

"Hey Yami," she said weakly. He smiled, and she could tell that he was as excited as he had been at school.

"Anzu, I'm glad you're finally here! What took so long? Have you been here waiting?"

Anzu sighed," The rain, and no."

"Oh okay! Well, let me tell you, you need to see the new exhibit. Isis had a bigger hand in this one, and it's absolutely amazing! The archaeologists discovered so much more information about the Millennium Items, some things even Isis hadn't been aware of until she examined them, it's really incredible. And Isis was an amazing guide, she knew everything about each artifact, but I guess she would have to seeing as she's the head curator of the two Egyptian exhibits! Anyway, it's really great, you should go check it out!"

"Where are Yugi and Grandpa?" she asked, feeling monotone.

"Oh, they're both still in the exhibit, talking to Professor Hopkins and Rebecca."

Anzu nodded," Will you come to the exhibit with me?"

Yami shook his head, but his eyes were still filled with happy brightness," I'd love to Anzu, but there are still a few more questions I need to ask Isis about the Items." He made a gesture over to where Isis was standing, surrounded by a crowd of people.

"Oh, right," Anzu said.

"Why don't you come with me, I'm sure she'd be happy to see you again."

Yami took her hand and dragged her over to Isis. Anzu turned to look behind her, for she swore like someone was watching her, but as she looked, she saw only people she didn't recognize.

"Oh, and by the way Anzu, be careful. Kaiba's here too, although I have no idea why. We already got into a fight."

"Not surprising…" Anzu muttered.

"Isis, Isis!" Yami called, waving a hand frantically. He caught the older woman's eye' she turned to them and smiled.

"Yami, just the person I was looking for!"

Yami's cheeks turned slightly pink," Really?" he asked.

Isis nodded, her golden jewelry shining in the light from the fixtures above. Anzu mentally rolled her eyes as Yami and the beautiful Egyptian conversed. Her eyes strayed across the exhibit room, only stopping until she met blue. There, from across the room, Kaiba was watching her. Anzu shivered visibly, and turned away from him, but out of the corner of her eye, she swore she saw him smirk.

"So what do you say Anzu?" Yami asked. Anzu's attention snapped back to him.

"Huh?" she asked dumbly. Isis smiled slightly.

"Did you want to come to dinner with us or not? Professor Hopkins, Yami and I still have a few more things to talk about," Isis said.

Anzu blinked, and then made her recovery," Oh, I'm so sorry. I'd really love to, but I have to work tomorrow so I can't be out too late, and in case you haven't noticed, I'm no longer dressed to go out somewhere nice. I feel rather dirty even here."

Isis nodded sympathetically," Dear, I see. Did you get caught in the rain."

Anzu nodded. _Curse her niceness, her beauty, her grace, her-_

"Wow," Yami said, eyes going wide as he assessed Anzu's state," I guess so."

Anzu held back an obscenity. Instead, she dipped her head and replied as politely as she could," Thank you very much for the invite. Now, if you don't mind, I think I'll go view the new exhibit. I apologize that I arrived late and missed the tour."

Isis waved a hand," Oh, don't worry about it. I'm just glad you were able to show up," she said, kindly. Anzu nodded again, and then turned away from Yami and Isis. Her face, which had been taut with a fake smile, sunk into a scowl again as she made her way to the emptying exhibit.

_Gah…frigging witch, go tempt Satan in the underworld and leave me alone! Would I like to go to dinner? Of course not! I loathe you you little-_

Anzu fumed silently while inside her mind was screaming curses. She made her way through the crowd of people that seemed to be getting larger each moment. The people all flowed in the opposite direction of her, making her wonder if the whole world was trying to work against her. As mumbled apologies as she made contact with moving bodies. She didn't notice the particularly steady object she bumped into as she moved through the archway, nor did she notice the fierce glare the object sent in her direction as she passed.

Anzu entered the vast room that contained the new exhibit, and couldn't help but gape. It was huge, and packed to the brim with ancient artifacts, color pictures, shining trinkets, and more. The room was at the moment, devoid of all life, for everyone had gone back to the old exhibit to eat, drink, and be merry. It was rather quiet, the only sounds she could hear were her own careful footsteps and a dim murmur of voices that came from the other room. She moved from glass case to open display, reading each information card and admiring each piece. Anzu stopped at one of the glass cases and peered at the small, golf ball sized pebble that rested inside. She read the description.

_This stone was found in the temple of King Anefere II. It's make up and location in the tomb leads archeologists to believe that the stone was part of a larger that was used for the grinding of grain and nuts into a type of flat bread. Hieroglyphs found in various tombs depict the act of bread making in day to day life. Women would often sit for hours using a set of stones to grind the materials into a mixture fine enough for bread making. Th-_

"My God, Mokuba was right."

Anzu spun around in fright, and slammed right into a very solid object. She gazed up at the expected blue eyes.

"Meaning?" she asked Kaiba. He just shrugged, and pointed to the pebble under the glass.

"He skipped out on the tour so that he wouldn't have to endure listening to the curators talk for hours on end about making bread using stone tools. He was right. Even the description is long winded."

"Just like you," she murmured. Anzu ducked away from Kaiba and strolled through the exhibit aisle. Kaiba frowned, and started to follow her.

"Me? Long winded?" he asked, sounding serious," Look who's talking!"

Anzu spun around on her heel, almost fell over, and then straightened herself and placed her fists on her hips.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, acid in her voice.

"What do you think Mazaki," he drawled," I mean, come on, if those "friendship speeches" aren't long winded, I don't know what is. How long has that been going for now, years?"

Anzu rolled her eyes and took a few steps in his direction, her anger mounting every second.

"Ha ha," she hissed," You think you're so funny. Well, let me tell you something Seto Kaiba!" she had come close enough now that she could jab a finger at his chest," You are nothing but a –"

"A cold, arrogant, selfish, rude, shallow, narrow minded, jerk," Kaiba finished, a sneer in his voice," Did I forget any?"

Anzu put a finger to her chin and struck a contemplative pose," Ah, no, don't think so. Oh, except maybe bad in English."

This time, Kaiba's temper flared. However, instead of expressing it as… violently as Anzu chose to, he just raised a single eye brow.

"My English is flawless," he replied, switching over to the topic language. Anzu sighed. _Two can play at this game…_

"Well," she shot back, in English that had a tinge of a New York accent," You may think you can speak English perfectly, but I know I can. Now, remember that little argument we had in English?" Anzu asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"Not exactly what I'd call little Mazaki," Kaiba muttered. Anzu paid no attention to him, but continued on. As she spoke, she walked slowly, moving away from him and towards some of the items of the exhibit.

"Yes, well. I'm sure you remember how you corrected me on my grammar during our…disagreement. I imagine you keep your so called victories locked in memory for as long as you can-"

"So then Mazaki, you're saying I won," Kaiba responded, in an attempt to fluster the girl.

"Just let me finish," she snapped," Anyway, where was I? Oh, yea. Well, during that conversation, you made it a point to embarrass me in front of the entire class by grammatically correcting me on one of my statements. I believe the phrase was "me and the rest of the class."

Kaiba rolled his eyes, getting annoyed at Anzu's indifference as she spoke and wandered around the exhibit," We had this conversation already Mazaki, the proper way to say it is "the class and I."

"Aha!" Anzu yelled, and she spun around again to face him. This time, she did fall, her heel slipping out from underneath her. Kaiba reacted fast enough to prevent her from painfully crashing down onto the marble floor. He was half bent over; holding her a few inched above the ground by the arms. Her legs were splayed out beneath her.

"You were saying?" he said with a sneer. Anzu's blue eyes snapped furiously to his face, and she wiggled slightly, despite her awkward position.

"Let me go!" she said with a growl. Kaiba shrugged.

"Gladly."

With a thud she crashed hard onto the floor, not as hard however, as she would have had he not caught her first. Anzu sat, surrounded by the poofy pile that was her dress, and stared up at Kaiba with a look of hatred.

"You didn't have to do that," she mumbled, much like a reprimanded child.

"Well you told me to let you go. Now, will you please get to your point. You're wasting my time."

"Fine," Anzu said, standing up carefully," When you corrected me, you were actually the incorrect one."

Kaiba gazed at her; she was a mess still, even after she had cleaned up.

"I'm never wrong," he stated simply.

"You know what they say Kaiba," Anzu replied cheekily," Never say never! So, you were wrong. Deal with it. After English class, I went to some of the teachers. They all told me I was the one who said it correctly. You were wrong."

"No, that's impossible," he said, his voice betraying no emotion that might have existed under the ice mask.

"Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong!" she said in a sing song voice," And I was right right right right right!"

Kaiba folded his arms across his chest and glared at the girl," Whatever. I know that I was right, and that you're just going out of your way to make a fool of yourself."

Anzu's song died out. She returned his glare with equal ferocity, annoyed at the fact that she hadn't been able to mess with his psyche. Just as she was thinking of some way to come back at the boy, Yami and Isis strolled into the exhibit.

"Anzu," Isis said, coming to a stop in between Anzu and Kaiba," What do you think of the exhibit?"

The brunette's hands curled into fists at her side, but the only one who seemed to notice was Kaiba. However, her voice revealed nothing about her true feelings.

"It's wonderful," she gushed, putting a blindingly false smile that, once again, only Kaiba seemed to notice as so," What you all have found and researched is absolutely amazing."

Isis nodded and smiled," Thank you, it's wonderful to hear that. It just amazing that we're able to know so much about our pasts."

"See Anzu," Yami said, his eyes sparkling," I knew you would like it! And Isis has said we can come back any time we please, without charge!"

Anzu smiled," That's great! Thank you so much Miss Ishtar."

Isis laughed in a soft, bell like tone," Please Anzu, call me Isis."

_I'll call you more than that you man stealing, witchy... _

Yami glanced to his watch," Isis, it's already 10. What time did you say the reservations were for?"

"10:30," Isis replied, herself looking at the small clock that was hanging on one of the walls of the room," I was just coming in to get Kaiba."

Yami visibly stiffened, and Kaiba just scowled, not having said a word this entire time.

"Kaiba is coming also?" Yami asked apprehensively. Kaiba nodded, then finally spoke," I've got to take Mokuba home though. You two go on ahead without me, and I'll meet you and the Professor at the restaurant."

"Alright," Isis said," Just make sure you remember to come to the restaurant. You're not getting out of this one."

"Fine." he replied," I'll see you at the restaurant." Without another word, he stalked out of the room in search for his younger sibling. Isis turned back to Anzu.

"Are you positive you can't come?"

"Unfortunately," Anzu half-lied," I have work tomorrow, and need to be up early. I'm very sorry."

Isis nodded, and Yami looked rather disappointed.

"Good evening," Isis said," And thank you for coming."

Isis and Yami both turned to leave, but then Yami turned back around, as if remembering something.

"Yugi and Grandpa already left with the car. You'll be able to make it home, right?" he asked.

Anzu glanced out one of the large windows, which showed a view of the streets. It was still raining heavily.

"Oh yes," she said with more than a tinge of sarcasm in her voice," I'll be able to make it through the driving rain and lightning just fine."

Yami smiled brightly," Alright, just wondering. Good night Anzu!"

He then turned to catch up with Isis, who was already at the entrance to the exhibit. Anzu stood there, speechless, unable to believe what had just happened. Was he really that oblivious? Or was he love-struck? It didn't matter to her, either way. Anzu silently made her way to the lobby, almost failing to hold back the tears that had been trying to break free again since she had gotten herself cleaned up. She looked despairingly at her dress, which had once been white but was now a muddy sort of gray. Her feet ached horribly in her shoes, so she took them off, trying not to notice the blisters that were coming in. She was the only one in the lobby, and she imagined she was one of the few that were still at the museum. The rain was even worse than it had been when she had arrived in her distressed state. Anzu pulled out her cell phone from her purse, and dialed a number. The person on the other end picked up.

"Hello, this is Ryou speaking," a warm voice on the other end of the phone said.

"Ryou," she croaked, having an even harder time fighting the tears. He recognized her voice immediately.

"Anzu, oh God. What happened? Are you alright?" she heard him fret on the other line," Did something happen? You know what, hold that. I'm coming to get you right now and take you home. Are you at the museum?"

Anzu nodded, and then remembered that he couldn't see her," Yes," she said.

"Alright, good. Just stay there, I'll be there in a few minutes. Don't go out in the rain!"

"Thank you Ryou," she whispered. He hung up, and she slid her cell-phone back in her purse. She stared out at the dark, rainy streets, and failed to notice the other presence in the lobby until it spoke up.

"I hope you're not walking home Mazaki," Kaiba sneered. Anzu turned to him wearily, and she guessed she must have looked tired for the way that Kaiba's expression changed. At his side was a barely conscious Mokuba, who looked ready to fall asleep right there.

"No," she replied bitterly," I'm getting a ride."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow," With who, Yami?"

Anzu glared at him, cursing him for knowing her secrets and now successfully turning them against her. It felt like a punch in the stomach. Kaiba just nodded," As I thought. He left you to fend for yourself in the rain so he could go off with Isis."

Anzu knew it was the truth, she knew it was, she knew Yami was oblivious to her feelings, but still, she wished that she could drown out Kaiba words before she drowned in them.

"Shut up…" she muttered," I don't want to hear it…"

"But it's true, isn't it? I can't imagine how that must feel," he said coldly," To have the one person you love turn from you and leave you to the wolves."

"Yami would never do that!" she yelled, although she knew that Kaiba was somewhat right.

"But he already has, hasn't he?"

"Stop it nii-sama," Mokuba muttered tiredly. Kaiba paid no attention.

"I offered you a ride to the museum," he said. Anzu blinked at him… _Surely he didn't… had he?_

"No you didn't," she said, not too sure of herself.

"Yes I did. When we got to your complex, I asked if you needed a ride. You just ignored me and kept going. I imagine you wish that you had accepted now."

Anzu tried to think back to that afternoon, and cursed silently. He _had_ offered it, although she hadn't understood him when he asked, and she _had _ignored him. Kaiba smiled as he saw the look of realization cross her face.

"Hm, as I thought. What is it Mazaki, too af-"

"Leave her alone."

Mokuba, Anzu, and Kaiba all looked to the entrance. Ryou stood there, soaking wet, but he seemed not to mind. Over one arm, he carried a long jacket, and he held an umbrella in the other hand. He glared at Kaiba with open loathing.

"Anzu," he said, his voice acidic but not in her direction," You should have called me earlier. Let's go, before it gets too late."

Anzu nodded dumbly, and walked towards him. Kaiba scowled.

"So it comes to this, huh Mazaki? Relying on your little boy friend to defend you?"

"We're not dating!" they said at the same time, as if used to the comment. Kaiba snorted," Whatever. Mokuba and I will be going. Any more time in you're presence and I think my IQ will suffer."

Ryou grabbed Anzu's hand, and tugged it slightly, jolting her out of her dumbfounded state. Kaiba watched as the two exited out the doors. Under the overhang, Ryou handed Anzu the jacket, which she put on over her ruined party dress. He then opened the umbrella and held it over her, allowing himself to get wet instead. The two walked from the museum while the rain pelted them. They disappeared into Ryou's waiting vehicle, and drove off into the rain.

Kaiba turned away from the doors as Mokuba wearily called a limo.

* * *

"Are you alright?" Ryou asked after minutes of silence. Anzu shifted in the comfortable passenger seat, and turned slightly to face him. The passing street lights and rain on the window caused strange patches of light to distort the worried look on his face. 

"I don't know," she whispered," I think so."

Ryou nodded, his eyes on the road but his focus far from it. Even in the dim lighting, Anzu could see the silent storm that brewed in his chocolate brown eyes.

"Thanks," Anzu breathed, tugging Ryou's jacket even tighter around her.

"It's what friends do," he responded. Anzu sighed, and reclined in her seat. The wind shield wipers mechanically swept away the water drops flecked the windows. As the water was brushed so callously away, they formed small streams on the edges, where the wipers couldn't reach, and caused tear like shadows to streak Anzu's face. The wipers moved back and forth, the swishing sound mixed with the methodical pounding of the rain slowly lulling her to sleep. Anzu felt her eyes droop slightly; she wanted nothing more than to…

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Ryou asked suddenly, furrowing his brow and frowning, eyes still on the road.

"Who?" Anzu asked groggily, her eyes closed now so that she couldn't see the face of her worried friend.

"Kaiba, Yami. I don't know," he said with a sigh.

"No," she said," They didn't hurt me. Not really."

"Not really?" he asked, speculation in his voice.

"Yea, not really. Kaiba insulted me in every way possible, and Yami didn't really do anything all night but hang around Isis. Nothing really out of the usual. Not really."

"You looked like you were about to cry Anzu. You really should have called me before. Did you have to walk in the rain to get to the museum?"

"Mm-Hmm," she sighed, too exhausted to really think about what she was saying," And right when I got there, Kaiba was there. He started antagonizing me about forgetting my umbrella _again_, and all this other crap. Yea, I guess Mokuba was right, I do look like Hell, but at least Mokuba was nice. So different from his evil brother… jerk…" she drifted off. Ryou realized her eyes were closed, and she was breathing evenly in a way that indicated she had settled into sleep. _Yami questioning will have to wait…_ he thought, trying to keep his concentration on the rainy road ahead and not on the sleeping brunette in the passenger seat. Ryou knew there was so much she hid from him, and would continue to hide from him, even though he was her best friend. It had always been like that, and not just with him. So many people, Yami especially, saw Anzu as a happy-go-lucky, positive little school girl who would do whatever her friends asked with no questions. They saw her as someone who would always follow behind with a kind word and a calm smile. Ryou knew differently. Anzu had her own dreams, thoughts, and goals. She cried and screamed, but she kept it private. Anzu wanted everyone to see what she wanted them to see. Especially Yami. That's what he couldn't stand – Yami wasn't a bad guy, he just… believed that he was in control of his friends, that they would follow him to the end of the earth just if he asked them to. He got upset when Anzu, who had been there since the beginning, made her own plans, plans that conflicted with his own. Yami wasn't happy with her, and it was killing her. Ryou took his eyes off of the road for a moment and looked over to the girl, who was sleeping restlessly. She was muttering something under her breath, but Ryou couldn't make out the words. He moved his eyes back to the road.

Ryou pulled into the apartment complex, and up to Anzu's building. He leaned over and gently prodded her shoulder.

"Anzu, we're here," he whispered. Anzu muttered something incomprehensible, and opened her eyes to narrow slits. With a sleepy numbness, she undid her seat belt and stumbled out of the car, ignorant of the rain. She had removed her shoes at the museum, and held them beside her. Ryou got out, locked the car, and guided Anzu up the stairs to her apartment. As Anzu leaned up against the outside wall, Ryou stood on his tip toes and reached the spare key that rested on top of the door frame. He unlocked to apartment, and ushered the tired girl in. She made her way to her room to change, while he quietly went into the kitchen and started fixing hot chocolate. Mai slept like a log at night; even if he had banged around the kitchen, she wouldn't have woken. The milk had just come to the right temperature when Anzu stumbled out again, in a pair of fuzzy long pajamas. She flopped down on the couch and turned on the t.v. Anzu flipped through talk shows and infomercials before settling on a late night showing of _Casablanca._ Ryou came holding two mugs filled with hot chocolate and sat down on the couch besides her. She gratefully took a mug, and sipped greedily.

"Ryou," she teased," You made it too hot again…" she stuck out her tongue to show him the little white bumps that used to be taste buds but were not just burnt pieces of flesh. Ryou stuck his own tongue out to show his burn free buds, and then laughed.

"It's called hot chocolate Anzu, it's supposed to be hot."

"But it burned my tongue," she whined, sounding like a small child. Ryou just chuckled. They continued to drink hot chocolate and watched the movie. Anzu finally set her empty mug down on the coffee table next to the couch.

"Have you ever seen this movie before?" Ryou asked. Anzu nodded," Like eight times. It's always on late at night."

Ryou looked to the girl seriously. She was watching the movie with slightly glazed, and very tired, eyes.

"What have you been doing up so late?" he asked.

Anzu shrugged," Can't sleep." she answered simply. Much to his surprise, she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Thanks," she whispered," For being a great friend. For listening to me be dumb and laughing with me, and rescuing me from the evil clutches of the Kaiba dragon." she laughed slightly, and settled some more into the couch and his shoulder.

"Yami went to dinner with Isis tonight. I bet they're still there, talking away. Lord, I hate that woman."

"Was it just the two of them?"

Anzu shook her head slightly on his shoulder," No, Professor Hopkins and Kaiba were going too, but I bet Kaiba skipped out. Seems like something he'd do."

Ryou nodded, and the two fell into a comfortable silence. Ryou leaned back slightly in the couch, and allowed Anzu to move some to make herself more comfortable. It wasn't until the credits of the movie started rolling that he realized she had fallen asleep, her head still on his shoulder. Ryou sighed, and rest his head on top of hers. He was asleep before the credits ended.

* * *

"Nii-sama…" 

Seto looked up from the book that he was desperately flipping through. A pair of thin reading glasses perched precariously on the tip of his nose, and he stared at his younger brother through them. The two were seated on the floor in his library, surrounded by stacks of books that had been pulled down from the shelves.

"Why do we have to do this?" Mokuba whined, his eyes bleary from tired searching. Kaiba sighed," It doesn't matter, just keep looking a little more."

"But why," he asked," Do we have to look in grammar books? Why in English? I mean come on, what's so important about knowing if "me and the rest" or "the rest and I" is the correct way?"

Mokuba stood up, spilling books all over," We've looked through like, fifty different textbooks. I don't even want to know where you got them all from. And weren't you supposed to go to that restaurant with Isis?"

"Please Mokuba, this is important to me."

"Why?" Mokuba challenged. Seto remained silent, flicking through pages. Mokuba raised an eyebrow, a look of understanding crossing his face.

"Oh, I think I get it. This involves Anzu, doesn't it?"

Seto's head shot up, looking startled. Mokuba smiled as Seto said," No, of course not. What makes you think so?"

Mokuba laughed," Actually, it was just a guess, but your reaction tells me everything I need to know. Let me guess, Anzu said something to challenge you, and now it's got you bothered because she might actually be right, so you're trying to find something that will prove you wrong. Right?"

Seto blinked, and cursed inwardly.

"No way Mokuba," Seto said, a little too defensively," You know I don't care what Mazaki says or does. Why would you think that?"

Mokuba laughed," Whatever Nii-sama. I'm going to bed." He crossed over the piles of books to reach his older brother and give him a hug.

"Good night Seto," he said," And don't work too hard."

"Good night Mokuba," Seto wished, and he watched as Mokuba made his way back across the piles of books to the door of the library. With a sigh, Seto turned back to the book in front of him. He _had _to prove her wrong. Even if he was up all night trying to do so.

* * *

Well, that's all for chapter four! I could have gotten it to you earlier, but it would have been shorter, and with the length of time I'm going to be gone, that wouldn't have been good! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'm sure you'll enjoy the next one. I have some good ideas for what's to come. I really hope I'm keeping things relatively original – with 30,000 + Yu-Gi-Oh fanfictions, it gets really hard to stray from cliché! Aw… If I wasn't such a Kaiba junkie, I'd pair Anzu with Ryou… oh well! Thanks to all of my readers and reviewers, you are what keeps me going! Please review, give me your thoughts, ideas, suggestions, and such. Once again, have a good summer, and stay safe! 

Anh- If you got something dirty from this chapter, I'm going to be… weirded out… Love ya!

Review Replies:

aherocansaveus- Eh. I'm going to let you off this time. This time. Sorry I didn't let you beta this one, I'm already out of town, and internet connection is a limited thing. I needed to get it up fast. I'll let you read the next one, I swear.

mischiefmagnet- I'm glad you enjoyed it, hope you liked this one too! Don't worry about being constructive if your tired, lol, just reviewing and saying nice things is good.

suzieq2005- Thanks! Glad I can make you happy! Yes, Kaiba is...a character...

mookey216- Arigato! I'll try.

Monkeyluv4646- Nice name! I'm glad you think so, it makes me happy to get such...happy reviews!

Dreamer of Dragons- Yes, Isis and Kaiba... not at all. Mokie really is the greatest, quite a trouble maker. I was the same way when LuvinAnime got kicked off. I stopped reading fanfiction for a while and pouted I was so mad! But now she's back so we can be happy .

LuvinAniManga- Thanks for the English tip! I don't know, it still doesn't sound completely right to me, but the way I had Anzu say it, weather 100 percent gramatically correct or not I how I would say it in a conversation. I made an attempt to redeem myself (English is my favorite subject, so it bothered me with my wrongness), hope it turned out alright! Funny Kaiba...I speak very little German (shame on me because I'm as much german as I am French), but I'm going to try and take it soon. I'm really glad that you liked the chapter, hope you liked this one. And it's frenzy.

The Cougar- Wow. Variety is the spice of life! Thanks. Oh, and update soon!

apsychicswordsman- Thanks for reviewing, hope you keep reading!

Gardevoir-Mages- Thanks for reviewing all three times. Sorry about Yami and Isis, I love them both as characters, but I felt for this story they needed to be the antagonists (which doesn't always mean the bad guys). Yes, I realize Yami doesn't normally gush, but I wanted it to be kind of the "away from the battle Yami". I asked myself- what do I think Yami would be like after all was said and done and life returned back to normal? So yes, he's oblivious, kind of silly, love struck, but also serious and determined. I don't know. Thanks all five... or six... of you for your input!

RR


	5. Blood and Cereal

Hey hey hey! Well, I'm back from Belize, and here to post the next chapter. My Beta, aherocansaveus, convinced me to cut the chapter in half, so I've got Chapter Five here for you, and chapter six will actually be a continuation of five… but not. Anyway, please read and enjoy! I need to go now, I have A LOT of fanfiction to catch up on (like 60 something pages…)! I hope you like this chapter!

RR

P.S. Sorry if there are any dumb spelling errors… Spell Check doesn't catch everything, and I'm tooooo lazy to read through this monster of a chapter again…

Disclaimer- If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh, I wouldn't need to write this dumb disclaimer.

* * *

Like The Rain by Revolutionnaire Rouge

Chapter Five- Blood and Cereal

Also Titled…

What You Don't Know, Won't Hurt You

Aherocansaveus- It's about time you frigging reviewed! It had better not take you 2 weeks to review this one, especially because you've already read it! And like you said, I cut it in half. Happy?

* * *

"Hey! Ryou! Ryou…! Ryou!" Anzu hissed, looking up expectantly. The white haired boy made no indication that he could hear her pleading voice. Anzu sighed, and jabbed a finger in his side.

"Ryou! Come on Ryou, my neck's really starting to hurt!"

Anzu rubbed her neck with her free hand, but she knew that it would do no good until she could get her head out from underneath _Ryou's_ head. She was sitting on the couch, still in her pajamas, and it was already 7 o'clock. Anzu had to be at work by eight, and she was normally up by six, so that she could take her time in getting ready. However, last night she had fallen asleep on the couch, and seeing as Ryou was still seated next to her, he obviously had too. Of course, after last night… Anzu blinked, tears feeling the need to break free again. Last night had been one of the worst she had ever had. She had gotten caught in the rain, insulted by Kaiba, blown off by Yami and totally infuriated by Isis. She was going to have to figure out how to get the large stains out of the dress Mai had given her; Anzu had had to run through many mud puddles to get through the museum, and she was still late. She had been so exhausted after Ryou brought her home, she fell almost straight asleep. Anzu cast her eyes up to Ryou's calm face. In any other circumstance, with any other guy, she would feel uncomfortable, but it was different with Ryou. He was her best friend – the one person who was always there for her, and nobody could take that away.

Amidst her musings, she almost missed Ryou's sleep murmurings…

"No…" he muttered. Although his eyes were still shut, his brow furrowed in a look of anger," No, you can't take her… you can't, no, please, you don't des…" he trailed off into a string of incomprehensible gibberish. Anzu raised an eye brow. She would have to ask him what he was talking about a little later.

"But first," she mumbled," to take care of this dilemma. Ryou! WAKE UP!"

Ryou didn't react, even as she poked him some more. She let out a sigh, and blew a strand of hair out of her face.

"Fine then," she said," I didn't want to do this, but if you refuse to respond…"

She quickly and forcefully pulled her head off of Ryou's shoulder and out from under his head. His head jerked up before it hit his shoulder, and he looked around with wildly awake eyes.

"Wha-" he stopped in mid word, and observed his surroundings. Anzu stood up from the couch and raised her arms in a stretch. Her back crackled slightly, causing her to frown. She turned to Ryou, who was slowly putting last night's events into order.

"I've got to get ready for work," she said.

Ryou nodded, and got up off of the couch too.

"Thanks to you," she teased," I've got to hurry and get ready for work."

Ryou smiled slightly," Hm, sorry. Now you'll only have one hour to get ready rather than the standard two. I feel so bad."

She threw him a play punch," Eh, shut up. You know where the cereal is, help yourself."

"I can't see why you eat that dreadful stuff," he said, shaking his head and tisking slightly," Nothing but fructose syrup and food coloring. I'll make breakfast instead. How do you like your eggs?"

Anzu smiled happily," Over easy!" she said," And thanks." She hugged him tightly, and Ryou could feel a blush slowly creep up his cheeks…

He shook his head, banishing the thoughts of the girl that was his best friend. Nothing more.

"No problem!" he said, pulling away slightly," I don't know how you survive. Mai can't cook and you can burn bread without ever even putting it in the toaster. Oh, do you think Mai will want anything?"

"No," Anzu said, making her way to her room," Mai won't be up for another four hours. She likes to sleep in late."

Ryou watched Anzu get clothes from her room then make her way to the bathroom. He turned and made his way to the small apartment kitchen. _Anzu is your friend_ he told himself as he opened the refrigerator. It was packed with tons of Chinese take out containers and other sorts of leftovers. The sight made Ryou blanch; he would really have to talk to Anzu about food safety. Furtively he moved food products around, searching for something reminiscent of eggs. As he was moving what he thought might have once been a blueberry muffin out of the way, he saw out of the corner of his eye, a Styrofoam container. He grabbed it, and quickly shut the fridge door before one of the molded over food products decided to run for freedom.

"Victory!" he exclaimed, setting the egg container on the tile counter. Ryou opened it, and surprisingly enough found four eggs, non expired and still intact. Next, he set out on a search for a frying pan. After a few minutes, he pulled out a brand new looking pan, which didn't surprise him seeing as the girls never cooked. He set the pan over the stove, also brand new looking, and turned on the heat under the burner. One by one he cracked the eggs into the pan, and watched as they sizzled and began to cook. His maid had taught him some practical cooking back when he, his father, and his sister lived in England, and Ryou saw now that it had come in handy now that he was living on his own and when Anzu forgot to feed herself. Which tended to happen often. Ryou was surprised that the girl even had a hint of an appetite; after last night he had expected her to mope around for the next two days and not eat anything but chocolate and cookie dough ice cream. It almost made him more worried that she wasn't moping – there was now the possibility that she was holding her emotions in, which was never good.

A sharp rap at the door drew Ryou out of his thoughts. Ryou set down the spatula he was using for the eggs and went to the door.

"Who would be knocking at this hour?" he asked himself. Ryou took the door knob and turned it, then pulled open the door.

Ryou wasn't expecting what lie on the other side, and it was quite obvious from the visitor's expression that he hadn't expected Ryou. The knocker stared in open shock for a moment before regaining his composure and allowing a classic smirk to settle on his lips.

"I knew you and Mazaki were friends," he sneered," but I didn't think that you two were friends with benefits."

"Kaiba," Ryou growled," What the heck are you doing here?"

Kaiba moved forward and leaned in the door way, looking at Ryou with a smarmy expression on his face. Ryou knew that the C.E.O. was up to no good.

"Calm down lover-boy," he replied casually, causing Ryou to scowl and take a step forward. Before he could say anything, Kaiba continued," I need to talk to Mazaki. Is she decent?"

Ryou balled his hands into fists, but kept his voice level.

"She's getting ready for work. What do you want?"

With a smirk, Kaiba set a baby blue umbrella down on the ground in front of Ryou," Just wanted to return this to her. She forgot it yesterday afternoon."

"And what are you doing with it?" Ryou asked suspiciously.

"Like I said, she forgot it."

"Where?"

Kaiba rolled his eyes," What are you, the Inquisition? She left in on the sidewalk yesterday, when we were…_together,_" he said, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

Ryou growled, struggling to keep his fists at his side.

"Why didn't you just give it back at the museum?" he asked, eyes flashing dangerously," You were there."

Kaiba chuckled evily," I didn't think there was any reason too. She was already soaked to the bone."

"You-"

Kaiba raised a hand up," Don't start Bakura. I've heard it all, mostly from Mazaki. Mean, arrogant, cold-hearted, vile, all of that. You know, she never shuts up about it. I don't know how you can stand her, she runs her mouth 24/7."

Ryou took another step forward, fire pumping through his veins," Never talk about Anzu like that. You have no right. Anzu is a wonderful, beautiful person! She's kind and considerate, and has the patience of a saint, and everyone see that but you!"

Kaiba just stood there for a moment, leaning up against the door frame, before muttering," Yea, me and Yami."

Ryou's eyes widened in shock at the unexpected comment.

"How do yo-"

"Look lover boy," Kaiba said in a monotone voice," I'm not disagreeing with you. Anzu is a beautiful, considerate person, even when she is angry, which believe it or not, she gets often. Contrary to what you might believe, I didn't come here to raise Cain and insult Mazaki. I just came here to return her dumb umbrella."

Ryou was speechless for a moment, _Did he just call her Anzu? Did he just call her…beautiful?_ He stared at the impassive teen for a moment, wondering if there was something that he'd missed. Was it possible that… Kaiba? Ryou shook his head.

"Well then, thank you. Now, if you'd please leave." Ryou said, no hesitation in his voice. It was a command.

"Fine," Kaiba said, moving out of the doorway," I was about to leave anyway. I'd rather not be here when the whole place burns down."

Suddenly, the smell of burning food entered Ryou's nostrils. He turned to the kitchen, where a great cloud of black smoke was pouring out of the pan.

"Damn!" he exclaimed, momentarily forgetting that Kaiba still stood at the doorway and could see anything," The eggs!"

Ryou grabbed a pot holder, turned off the heat in the oven, and took the pan off of it. The eggs were nothing more than blackened, shriveled chunks. He grabbed the spatula and scraped as much of the "eggs" as he could into the garbage can. Then, remembering the visitor, he turned to the door.

"I'm sorry," Kaiba said with a sneer," I didn't realize you were making breakfast, had I known I would have come later. So, is she getting the breakfast in bed treatment?"

Ryou was so angry that he wasn't even shocked.

"Get the hell out of here Kaiba," he said, his voice steely. Kaiba nodded, a smirk still playing on his lips, and pulled the door closed, leaving Ryou in stormy silence. Ryou stood there for a moment, like a statue. Then, as if someone had suddenly flicked the "On" switch, Ryou let out a torrent of curses and went back to scraping the pan clean.

He was fortunate that the fire alarms hadn't gone off, because the burning food mixed with the fire of his own rage would have been enough to burn down the whole building, and he was pretty sure that Anzu wouldn't have been happy with that. Ryou scrubbed the pan until it sparkled, threw away the empty egg carton, and poured two bowls of cereal.

Only a few minutes later, Anzu came out from the bathroom. She had put on the uniform that she had to wear at the restaurant, and she had a towel over her shoulders so that her still slightly damp hair wouldn't cause large wet spots to appear on the back of the uniform. Anzu smiled brightly when she saw what Ryou had set out on the table. She sat down on the side of the kitchen table opposite of where Ryou was calmly eating his own cereal.

"What?" she asked," No eggs?"

Ryou looked up from his bowl and set a smile on his face," Nope, sorry. I, um… got a little distracted when I was cooking, and well, the eggs got a little…crispy."

"Well," Anzu said," That's okay, I like my eggs a little more cooked than normal."

Ryou sighed and shook his head," Anzu, they were crispy. I mean, _really crispy_. Like, you know, too much time in Egypt crispy."

Anzu, who had been in mid chew, put a napkin to her mouth as a precaution as she shook with laughter. After a few moments of hysterics, Anzu swallowed the food in her mouth and looked to Ryou, a giggle still escaping every once in a while.

"I-heh, see…" she managed, before bursting into laughter again. Ryou smiled fondly. _What she doesn't know won't hurt her._

Anzu abruptly stopped as she spotted the blue object lying in front of the closed door.

"Ryou," she asked, her eyes clouding over, which caused the boy to frown," What is my umbrella doing here? I forgot it at the dance studio yesterday."

Ryou raised an eyebrow. Kaiba had said that she had left it on the sidewalk.

"I don't know Anzu," he lied," I opened the door this morning because I thought I heard someone out there, and only found this. Someone from the studio must have dropped it off."

"Yea," she said, her eyes focused on the umbrella but her mind completely elsewhere.

Ryou gulped silently, wondering how much she'd figured out already. Anzu turned back to her cereal.

"Oh well," she said cheerfully," I'll have to find out who did it and thank them."

Ryou nodded and ate the last few bites of his cereal. Anzu gathered up her things, and the umbrella, and headed off to work. As he watched her walk down the stairs, Ryou sighed.

_What she doesn't know won't hurt her._

* * *

"Hey Anzu!"

Anzu looked up from the order she was writing down. One of her fellow waitresses was waving for her to come from behind the counter. Anzu nodded and finished taking orders for the customers, and then made her way back to the counter. As she walked, she could feel the eyes of the two male customers she had just taken orders from on her back – she silently cursed the uniform she had to wear. Anzu ducked under the barrier and reappeared on the other side of the counter.

"What's up Ichigo?" she asked the friendly red head who had flagged her down. Anzu had been working at Burger World for the past six months, so she had gotten to know everyone at the restaurant very well, especially Ichigo, who was only a year older than she.

"Well," she said," There's a couple in Booth Five who specifically asked for you to wait on them. I told them that you were working some other tables, but they refused to accept that. They said they'd only take you. I wouldn't bother with it normally 'cept for they aren't exactly normal customers. So, I was wonderin' if you wanted to swap tables with me. You can take Booth Five and I'll take the table you just came from – you know, the one with the two total hotties!"

Anzu rolled her eyes, but smiled," Sure, that'll be great. Just be careful the two "total hotties" don't take a look up your skirt – they seem to be the type."

Anzu handed Ichigo the order for the two guys, and then made her way to Booth Five. From where she was, she couldn't see who was inhabiting the booth, which was tucked away in the corner, but she was nervous as to who it might be. If it were Jou and Honda, she knew that they would ask he for a discount, if it were Kaiba, she would flat out refuse to serve him – not like Kaiba would ever come to burger world, and, if it were Yugi and Yami well… she wasn't sure what she'd do. She approached the booth, refusing to look at who sat there. Instead, she held her order pad and pen up near her face.

"Hi, I'm Anzu. Can I take your order?'

"Hey Anzu!" a perky voice said from behind her pad," I didn't know you worked here!"

Immediately, Anzu recognized the voice. Only she hoped that the other person wasn't… Anzu lowered her order pad, and smiled.

"Hey Mokuba, how are you?"

The boy with the wild black hair gave a huge grin," I'm doing great! We were just around, and both were hungry, and since Rebecca had never come here before, I decided to treat!"

Anzu internally sighed as she looked to the other side of the booth and saw Rebecca Hopkins sitting there, smiling brightly. Anzu noticed that the girl had changed considerably since their last meeting – gone were the pigtails and teddy bear. Both of them, in fact, looked older than their actual age, with Mokuba and his dark blue polo shirt and Rebecca in a knee length skirt and white tank top with a collared over shirt. They both looked like college students rather than pre-teens, but Anzu then remembered that Rebecca _was_ a college student.

"Well, I'm glad you guys came. So, what can I get you?"

Mokuba recited his order as if he knew it by heart, while Rebecca pointed to an item in the menu.

"Great, well, I'll go put your orders in and have them out in a few minutes!" Anzu said brightly. She walked back to the counter, a wave of relief having washed over her. When she had heard Mokuba's voice, she had been so afraid that maybe _he_ would be there with Mokuba. Instead, it was Rebecca. Anzu smiled as she saw Mokuba and Rebecca talking and laughing happily. _They'll make a good couple_ she thought. Anzu handed the cooks her order and then scanned the section of tables that she was assigned to cover. A group of four men had come in while Anzu had been waiting on Rebecca and Mokuba. As she watched them silently look over the menus, a strange feeling made her gut twist. They were all dressed identically in navy blue business suits with matching ties. Anzu slipped under the barrier and then went over to the table.

"Hi," she said brightly," I'm Anzu, and I'll be serving you today. May I take your orders?"

They all turned to look at her, and for a moment, her smile flickered. However, she'd dealt with strange customers before, so she tried her best to act normally.

"Yes," one of the said," Thank you. We'd like four ice waters and four double cheeseburgers."

Anzu blinked, and then wrote down the orders. "Would you like mustard and mayonnaise on your cheeseburgers?"

The one who ordered paused for a moment, looked around to the others at the table, and then shook his head," No thank you."

"Alright then," she said," I'll go put your orders in. Your food should be out in a few minutes."

She then turned away from the table, and turned her order into the cook. Mokuba and Rebecca's food wasn't quite ready yet, so she went around to her other tables. As she took orders and got drink refills, she watched the table with the four men very carefully. They were now speaking to each other in low whispers. Every once in a while, one would look up slightly and look around the entire restaurant. The cook called for Anzu to come and deliver the food to booth five, and Anzu sighed. _There's no use getting paranoid,_ she thought, _those men are probably just not used to a place like this._

Anzu grabbed the tray that had Rebecca and Mokuba's order and balanced it on her hand. She weaved through the tables and made her way to the back corner.

"One pink lemonade, one Sprite, and two orders of nachos." she said brightly. Anzu set the food in front of the hungry couple. Mokuba smiled," Thanks Anzu!"

"You know," Rebecca said," I've been wondering. Why does a burger place have nachos on its menu?"

Anzu thought about it, and then shrugged," I don't know. I guess it's for the same reason that people order nachos at a burger place."

Rebecca laughed," I guess so." She took a bite of her nachos, and smiled," I can't believe I never came here before. This is really good!"

Mokuba nodded happily," Uh-huh, see I told you so! I come here all the time after school. That's why I was surprised to see you Anzu. I've never seen you or the red headed waitress working here before."

"Yea," Anzu replied," Ichigo and I are both still in school, so we only work weekends."

"Cool! I'll have to convince Seto to come with us one Sunday," Mokuba said, and Rebecca nodded. Anzu paled visibly, as Mokuba saw when he turned to look at her. A look of concern crossed the boy's face, and his eyes clouded slightly. Anzu could tell that he was remembering last night the same as she was.

"Maybe not," he muttered.

"M'zaki!" one of the chef's called," You gunna stand there all day yabberin', or are ya gunna do some work?"

Anzu spun around," Sorry, I'm coming!" she yelled. She turned back to Mokuba and Rebecca," Hey guys, I've got to go. I'll be back around with your check when you're done."

Both nodded, and then dug into their food. Anzu went back, once again, to the counter, and set down her empty tray before picking up a new, loaded one. On it, four cheeseburgers and four ice waters. Anzu set down the drinks and food in front of the four men.

"I'll be back around with your check when you all are finished. If you need me, just call!"

They all nodded, and silently started on their food. Anzu stood there for a moment, and then went around to her other tables.

Rebecca and Mokuba flagged her down when they were finished eating.

"Here's your bill!" she said. Mokuba handed her a credit card with his name on the back. Anzu was momentarily shocked – she didn't even have a credit card yet, and here Mokuba was, toting the plastic. Of course, it made sense, seeing who he, and his brother, was. Anzu went to the register and swiped the card, then came back with the receipt.

"Here's your card and the receipts. Sign this one and keep the other one for yourself."

Mokuba signed one and handed it to her.

"Thanks for coming guys!" she said with a smile.

"Thanks for waiting on us!" Mokuba said. "When do you get off?"

Anzu glanced to the clock at the front of the restaurant.

"Um, in about 30 minutes. I've got the eight to four shift. Are you and Rebecca going back to your place?"

Rebecca burst out laughing and Mokuba started to snigger. Anzu stood there, confused, before realizing what she had said. Mortified, she started," No, I mean, I didn't mean it that way I-"

"Don't worry about it," Rebecca said with a giggle," We understand."

"Act-Actually," Mokuba replied, trying to hold back his laughter," I'm going back to the mansion, and Rebecca's going to the museum."

Anzu suddenly thought of something, and glanced outside.

"I hope you brought an umbrella," she said, looking out the doors," Because it's raining again."

Mokuba sighed," Jeez, will it ever stop?"

"Not likely," Rebecca said dryly," At least not for the next three weeks, until rainy season is over."

"I brought an umbrella, and Rebecca's taking a taxi, so we should be alright."

Mokuba and Rebecca both slid out of the booth.

"Thanks Anzu," Rebecca said," Good to see you!"

"Yea, thanks," Mokuba added," I'll have to come on the weekends more often."

"No problem, good to see you both! Have a nice day!"

The two pre-teens left the restaurant. Mokuba opened his umbrella, and the two stood under it, waiting for the taxi to show up. Anzu went back to business. She looked over and saw that the table of four had stopped eating, their plates empty. All four were now attentively looking outside, at the rainy street.

"Are you ready for your check?" she asked them. Anzu saw the taxi pull up and Rebecca get in. Mokuba waved as it drove off, and then started off in the opposite direction, towards Kaiba Mansion. Another man, different from the one who ordered, nodded. She gave him the bill, and he pulled out his wallet. He handed her a large amount of cash, more than enough to cover the charge. The four all hurriedly stood up and started to the door.

"But Sir," Anzu said," The money-"

"Tip." one of them said. All four walked out the door and quickly walked down the sidewalk until they were out of sight. Anzu stood, dumbfounded, but was roused by the raucous calls of the cooks. She placed the amount of the bill in the register, and placed the rest of the money in the tip pocket of her uniform.

* * *

"Bye Anzu, see ya tomorrow!" Ichigo called out before hopping onto her bike. Anzu waved, and set out in the opposite direction, opening up her umbrella as she went. The streets were wet, and the rain was now only coming down in small, driving drops. They barely made a sound as they plinked onto her blue umbrella and slid off. Anzu sighed and smiled contentedly. It had been a good day, even with the rain. She had gotten a good, albeit strange, night's rest, an unconventional breakfast courtesy of Ryou, and had received a good deal in the way of tips, thanks to Mokuba, Rebecca, and the group of strange businessmen.

"It's nice," she said to herself, unashamed as there was no one else on the streets to hear her ramble," to see Mokuba with people his own age. He spends so much time with his studies, and Kaiba – he's such a nice boy, but I can only imagine how much his brother influences everything around him. And, he does so much more than a boy should have to deal with, helping Kaiba with the company, and all of that. He needs friends outside of the Kaiba mansion, even if they're college geniuses. Rebecca's a sweet girl though, I'm sure that her being around will help Mokuba. Imagine what it would be like if Kaiba had a girlfriend!" Anzu suddenly started laughing at the absurdity of the thought," Kaiba- heh- a girlfriend? Ha! That'll be the day hell freezes over!"

She started laughing at the craziness of the thought. Anzu continued walking along, laughing hysterically as she imagined Kaiba with some girl wrapped around his arm, Kaiba, slow dancing at prom…

"Don't stare honey," a hurried voice came from Anzu's side. She turned, and saw a concerned looking mother ushering her small, rain coat clad child past Anzu. The little boy looked up to Anzu from under his umbrella with a look of confusion, but was swept away by his mother.

Anzu sobered up immediately, and tried to keep a blush from rising on her cheeks. _Good going Anzu, _she thought, _no better way to convince someone you're crazy than by talking to yourself._

The streets were devoid of all other life once more, but Anzu kept her thoughts to herself, just in case. She instead thought back to what she had been laughing about before. Kaiba, with a girlfriend! It was ridiculous. She couldn't think of anyone who would actually go out with Seto Kaiba. Sure, a lot of girls at school were attracted to him, but he had a knack of shooting them down fast. Month after month, some new girl came to him with some kind of offering, and month after month, he rejected each and every one. It was equivalent to a primitive tribe offering sacrifices to their god, but the only result was angering it even more. Anzu thought back to Kaiba at prom, dancing with a girl. It seemed impossible – none of the girls at school were right for him. Kaiba was just too perfect for…

_WAIT! HOLD THE TRAIN!_ she thought, her mind panicking_ This is KAIBA I'm thinking about! The one person I DETEST! The LAST person who needs to be on my MIND!_

Especially after last night.

Anzu looked up to the sky from underneath her umbrella. The sky was a flat, slate gray, without a ripple or difference in it. It was a vast contrast to the sky of the night before – that dark, writhing sky that had caused her so much trouble and anguish.

_No. The sky caused the trouble. The…people caused the anguish. The only people who didn't try to make my night living torture were Ryou and Mokuba… I just don't understand how Mokuba could be related to such a cold hearted beast like Kaiba!_

She came to a dead stop, and mentally scolded herself.

_Stop thinking about him!_

Anzu started walking again, all the while trying to force the idea of a certain ice-eyed C.E.O. out of her mind. However, all around her were signs of him – Mokuba, the rain, the sky, and, most potently, her umbrella. She shivered, and almost dropped the umbrella as she remembered that he had held it, more than once, and that he had even had it in his possession. Which led her to another thought…

Kaiba had said the she had left her umbrella, and that he had it. Obviously, he had forgotten to return it the night before, but, by some miracle, it had appeared on her doorstep just that morning. Ryou had told her that he didn't know who had brought it, or when it had come, but Anzu wasn't so sure. Ryou had been acting…strange. While she was in the shower, she had been positive that she heard voices conversing. She hadn't been able to make out words, but could tell that the voices were both male. At first Anzu had thought that it had been the t.v., because one of the voices sounded very angry, and Ryou never seemed to get angry. However, Anzu remembered that Ryou rarely ever watched t.v. And then there were the burnt eggs. Ryou was a good cook - something must have distracted him long enough for the eggs to go crispy, but what?

Ryou had sounded angry when she had heard him talking to whoever was there, and after wards, he seemed distracted and distant. Had Seto Kaiba come to her apartment to drop off the umbrella? Had he and Ryou fought? About what? Her?

Anzu shook her head. _No way. No one would ever fight about me, not Kaiba, not Ryou, not Yami. No one. People only ever fight against me – never for me._

A jarring howl of rage snapped Anzu out of her pensive state.

…

It took Anzu a few seconds to fully understand what was going on. She stood there and stared, and she watched Mokuba kick and punch wildly at a group of men that had surrounded him. He landed a neat punch right across one of the men's jaw, causing him to reel backwards and curse. It didn't take Anzu long to identify the men as the same whom she had waited on at the restaurant. A silver SUV with tinted windows was parked right next to where the brawl was unfolding – it seemed like the men were trying to shove Mokuba into the back, but they were having a rough time at it. So far, no one, not even Mokuba, had noticed Anzu standing there, dumbstruck.

She wasn't dumbstruck for long. Anzu shut her umbrella, and launched herself at the nearest attacker, who had his back to her. She put all of her strength into smashing the man's head in, and while his skull didn't cave in as she had hope it to, he passed out before he had even been able to register he was being attacked. One down, three to go. The other three and Mokuba noticed as the man fell to the ground with a moan, and stared as Anzu stood there, dangerously wielding her baby blue umbrella. The man nearest to Mokuba took the distraction and grabbed Mokuba by the waist. He tried to hoist the boy up, but Mokuba sent him a fierce kick to the groin. The man dropped Mokuba back down to the ground. Mokuba was by no means little or weak, and as he fought, Anzu could see he'd had training. Suddenly, she felt two strong hands grab her arms and pin them behind her back. One of them had come from behind and attacked, he was now twisting her wrists painfully until she dropped the umbrella. He kept twisting, and she shrieked in pain. The man just laughed, a slow, jeering chuckle.

"Serves you right for trying to interfere you little wench. It's time someone taught you you're place b-"

He was cut off as Mokuba slid in between Anzu and the man and elbowed him in the gut, causing him to curl up. As soon as the man let go of her hands, she spun around, picked her umbrella off of the ground, and whacked him as hard as she could on his back. He curled up even further, and Anzu couldn't help but smile at the cracking sound of her umbrella against his spine. Two down, one to go.

One of the men approached Mokuba, but didn't get far before Mokuba sent him a roundhouse kick. The man slid back slightly, but then growled and flat out punched the younger boy. Mokuba tried to put his arms in front of him for defense, but it did no good. He punched Mokuba again, while viciously cursing. Anzu cried out as she saw blood run down the side of the boy's face, but was distracted as she felt her umbrella being pulled from her hands. The man grabbed her by the collar of her uniform and hurled her back with a strength she couldn't even imagine. She curled herself, trying to protect what she could, and prepared for impact. Anzu felt herself land on the concrete – a large gash on the arm that hit the ground first started to bleed, and she could feel a sharp pain lace up her back. The man laughed, and Anzu watched in dumb horror as he took her umbrella in his hands and snapped it into two pieces as if it were a stick. He tossed the pieces off to the side, and took a step towards her. Anzu scrambled back away as far as she could, but her back soon hit the concrete walls of the store behind her. He came closer, and closer, and with each step, she could feel her demise nearing.

_This can't be happening! I can't die, I can't let them take Mokuba! I can't die here! I still need to enact my revenge on Isis for stealing Yami and I still need to figure out who brought my umbrella back and I need to tell Kaiba off for last night and I need to thank Ryou for making the hot chocolate and and-_

The man's face loomed above hers, smiling grimly. Suddenly, his eyes bulged out, and he let out a great gasp of air. Anzu rolled away from him before he fell on top of her, so instead the man hit cold concrete. Anzu, still sitting on the concrete, took deep gasping breaths as Mokuba stood in front of her, looking triumphant but weary. The right side of his face was all scratched up, and it looked like his nose was broken, his lip was definitely busted, and his knuckles were scraped and bleeding. Through the tears in his jeans, Anzu could see large bruises forming on his shins.

"We… did…it!" he said, taking shallow breaths. Anzu nodded, unable to speak. Mokuba suddenly lurched forward, and Anzu reached out to catch him. He collapsed into her arms, unconscious.

As gently as she could, Anzu lifted the boy, who was a lot heavier than the last time she had had to lift him during Battle City, and carried him. She walked past the fight scene, leaving the four men there on the ground. She could hear sirens in the distance, Anzu imagined that one of the shop owners must have seen the struggle and called the police. She could stay there, wait for the police to come, explain what happened, get medical attention, but she just kept walking, numbly allowing her feet to guide her. She had to get help for Mokuba, had to get him to a Doctor.

The rain, which had been until then a drizzle, began to increase in intensity. It beat down on her and Mokuba harder and harder, washing away some of the blood that stained their faces and clothes. Little streams of red water trickled down Mokuba's face and Anzu's arms, but both were ignorant of it. Anzu just kept walking blindly, unknowing, unthinking, just trying to overcome the reality of what had just happened. She didn't watch where she was going. She didn't think to whip out her cell phone and make a call, she didn't think of anything but getting Mokuba the best help she could.

Anzu stopped at the gates. She knew this was the best she could do. The clouds had darkened considerably, and the rain got harder and harder. Kaiba Mansion loomed ominously above her.

* * *

"Open the gates!" Anzu screamed as she kicked the tall iron gates that barred her away from the safety of the mansion. Her foot protested, but she kept kicking. She was about to lose her voice, but she kept screaming. Her body was ready to quit, but she held on, knowing she needed to get Mokuba to safety.

"Please!" she begged, to whom she didn't know," Open the gates! Let us in!"

Her only answer came from the dark skies above, and it came in the form of harsh, biting rain.

"Please…" she whispered, feeling her legs start to shake. Anzu slowly collapsed to the ground until she was on her knees, still holding Mokuba in her arms. Her tears mixed in with the rain that struck her face, until one couldn't be distinguished from the other. Anzu looked down to Mokuba.

"Please…"

Mokuba's eyes flickered open, and then closed until they were narrow strips.

"Anzu, what's wrong? Are you crying? What happened?"

_He's in a state of shock, he doesn't remember…_

Anzu put a weak smile on her face and shook her head slightly.

"No Mokuba, I'm alright," she lied," I just need to get you back to the mansion, but the gate is closed and no one will open it. Can you tell me how to get in?"

Mokuba nodded, and opened eyes a little more.

"Go over to the left side of the gate Anzu. There's a small keypad where you can enter the pass code and open the gate up. It's a simple six letter pass code."

"Alright. Can you tell me the pass code Mokuba?"

The boy nodded again, but much to her dismay, closed his eyes. He was silent, the only movement coming from the shallow up and down movement of his chest.

"Mokuba?"

No response. Anzu heaved a sigh, and made her way over to the key pad. Maybe she could guess… She flipped up the cover of the keypad. On the keypad, a series of numbers ranging from zero to nine. Anzu looked at the numbers hopelessly. She had hoped that maybe the pass code would be a word that she could guess, but no, she was left to guess numbers. There was no end to the number of possible combinations, and Anzu knew that there was no time to try them all and hope to get lucky. Anzu took a step back and thought about it. If she knew anything about Seto Kaiba, the pass code would be anything but obvious.

_That rules out 1-2-3-4-5-6… _she thought ruefully. Anzu stood there in the rain for minutes, staring at the keypad. A part of her told her to go, to turn back, to call Mai or Ryou and get Mokuba to the hospital and stop wasting time, but a larger part of her told her that this was the only option. Anzu looked again at the keypad, running the numbers through her head.

_1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-0_

Anzu blinked. It was common sense to place the zero first, before the one, but it this case, it was at the end. She could blame its placement on coincidence, but something told her it was deeper than that. It was as though she could hear Kaiba's voice telling her to figure it out. It was rather annoying. Then, she noticed the placement. The numbers weren't all in one row, but in four, and the placement wasn't even all around. She ran through it again, this time considering how the numbers were laid out.

_1-2-3_

_4-5-6_

_7-8-9_

_0_

The placement was familiar. Too familiar. Suddenly, on a whim, Anzu pulled her cell-phone out of the pocket of her uniform. Not to make a call, of course, but to look at _its_ key-pad. It was identical in arrangement.

_All right,_ she thought, _We've gotten this far Anzu, now what?_

Anzu thought back to what she had hoped before – that Kaiba would chose a _word_ as his pass code rather than a set of _numbers._ As she stared from the phone to the gate key pad and back, suddenly everything clicked. She looked at the small letters above each number of the phone keypad, and cursed Kaiba for making things difficult and so obvious at the same time. It all made sense now, and she even knew the pass code. She went up to the key pad and slowly keyed in the pass code.

_6-6-5-8-2-2_

She pressed the enter key, and held her breath.

_Please work, please work…_

There was a near by rumbling sound, and she almost cried out in joy as she watched the heavy iron gates creak open. Anzu quickly ran past them, still carrying Mokuba. She ignored the winding driveway, but ran across the nicely manicured lawn, taking the more direct route.

Anzu ran up the stairs and up to the large front door of the Kaiba Mansion. Surprisingly, there was a large brass knocker on the door rather than a door bell. The knocker, rather than the typical lion's head, had been Kaiba-ized, and was in fact the head of a blue eyes white-dragon, with the KC emblem below it. Anzu took up the knocker, and pounded it against the door. She released the knocker, and waited for what seemed like years. It was killing her. Anzu took the knocker again and pounded the door, then resorted to using her fists. No one answered. Anzu felt her body about to give out again. She turned and leaned up against the door, allowing tears to streak down her face.

_So close but yet so far…_

Suddenly, the door pulled open, causing Anzu to fall backwards and then pitch forward as she tried to catch her balance. Anzu spun around to face a prim, elderly looking woman. The woman looked Anzu over from top to bottom in one disdainful glance, and then turned her eye to the almost unrecognizable Mokuba. Anzu openly stared at the maid, and she stared back, disgust quite evident. She obviously thought Anzu was some type of beggar.

"I need to speak to Seto Kaiba," Anzu said bluntly.

The woman blinked and scowled, but replied politely," I'm sorry, but Mr. Kaiba is quite bust and will see no one today, especially if they do not have an appointment. P-"

"But I really need to see him! Please! Maybe you can go get him, tell him it's really important-"Anzu said, a sense of deeper dread sinking into her gut.

"I'm sorry _Ma'am_, but Mr. Kaiba is not available. May I take a message?"

Anzu stared at the woman for a moment, and then looked down to Mokuba, whose condition was degenerating quickly.

"I don't give a damn if Kaiba is busy or not! I NEED to see him now, what's more, if he cares anything about his brother, he WILL come! Mokuba needs him!" she yelled, her voice getting louder and higher with each syllable.

"Please lower your voice," the woman said, acting as though she had not heard a single word Anzu had said," or I will be forced to have security escort you out."

"I'd like to see them try," Anzu replied wildly. She did her best to push past the maid. The maid resisted, but was no match for Anzu.

"SECURITY!" the woman wailed, but Anzu paid no mind, just continued to shove past. Finally, the woman relinquished, and Anzu stumbled forward. She looked around the main hall, and saw four security guards running in her direction. Anzu made a dash for the grand staircase at the end of the hall. She was fast, but the guards were faster. They roughly grabbed her, and tried to grab Mokuba, but she wouldn't let them. They held Anzu by her arms, and she tried to rip away from them, but it was no use, they were too strong.

"LET ME GO!" she screamed at the top of her voice," KAIBA! MOKUBA'S-"

"What in the world is going on here?" a sharp voice came from the top of the stair case. Anzu's eyes widened, and she sunk to the ground as much as she could with the guards still holding tight to her arms. Her prayer answered…

"Would someone like to-"

The elder Kaiba had come into view now, and as his eyes settled on Anzu, he became livid.

"What are you doing here Mazaki?" he hissed. The guards looked to each other, and then to their boss. Kaiba descended a few of the stairs.

"You know her boss?" one of them asked.

"No," Kaiba snapped, causing everyone else in the room but Anzu to flinch," I just know her name by magic. Let her go you dopes!"

The guards released her quickly, and she scrambled to her feet.

"What do you think you're doing here Mazaki, barging in and raising a racket and ordering my staff a- Mokuba!"

Seto raced down the stairs and ran up to Anzu. Anzu handed the beaten boy to his older brother, and then looked around at the bewildered staff. Seto held his brother in silence for a moment before looking up and barking out a command.

"All of you, get out of my sight now! Matilda, get the Doctor!"

All of the staff scurried off in various directions, and Anzu turned to leave.

"Not you Anzu. Stay here."

Anzu turned around, her eyes wide in shock. _Had he just…_

"What-" Seto stuttered for the first time in front of her," What happened? Why did they stop you? Wh-why…?"

Anzu summoned up what strength she had left and looked dead into his eyes. She had noticed his hair was wet and his chest was bare, as if she had caught him in the middle of changing out of wet clothes. She probably had.

"A group of men attacked him on the way home. I helped fight them off, then carried Mokuba here. Your staff tried to stop me from seeing you – they didn't recognize him."

Seto's ocean blue eyes went wide. Anzu stared into them, starting to feel lost in their depth. She'd found him, delivered Mokuba, she could let go. Anzu was unconscious before she landed in Kaiba's open arm. In one arm, he supported his brother, the other, Anzu. He looked down to them both, and a scowl set on his face.

"Heads will roll for this."

* * *

Oooohhh, cliffie… kind of. Anyway, hope you liked it, the next chapter should be up pretty soon, now that I'm back home!

Thanks to all of my awesome reviewers! You all get invisible cookies!

suzieq2005- Hey, it's alright to be reading it at work! I read LuvinAniManga's newest chapter of Beach Bonanza (which was like 20 pages), and my friend EightofSwords new chapter of Subject to Change (I reiterate the like 20 pages) the day before my Physics final… I still passed though (with an A, yay!).

mischiefmagnet- lol, Thanks, but no need to bow! I wasn't very sure about it when I posted it the first time, but I just went ahead with it (I love to write, but I hate grammar). Thanks to LuvinAniManga for correcting me first…I felt so ashamed that I HAD to correct it, so I had the idea of turning it against Kaiba, Anzu had had enough grief that day, she deserved to torment Kaiba some… and Yami and Isis, well…

apsychicswordsman- Thanks! I'm glad you like! smiles and sticks thumbs right back up

BradyBunch4529- Yes! I'm glad that you feel that way about Yami and Yugi, that's what I've been trying to do! I get annoyed at Yami, even though I've made him like that. Kaiba, well, what can we say? He, like all guys, must suffer from mood swings (No offense to any guys, it's just that, well…) I'm glad you like the descriptions, it's something I really work hard on. Poor Anzu, I put her through so much. I love Mokuba, he can be so bad, yet so good! Thanks!

LuvinAniManga- Thanks! Yea, the error thing… I felt so embarrassed to make a mistake like that, and I had to redeem myself. Thanks for catching me… I've gotten a lot of praise with incorporating it. I hope you have a good trip, update when you get back! I'm sure your English teacher would be quite proud. Yup, Kaiba's a character! And Ishizu is… a lot of things. I love Ryou too! He definitely is a great guy! I wish I could have a friend (or boyfriend!) like him! Hope you're having fun wherever you are!

xXxkIkOkEnxXx- I'm proud to say that you have been nominated as having the screen name with the most X's ever in Fanfiction history. Just kidding, I actually don't know that. Yes, Kaiba gets on everybody's nerves… but that makes him more loveable (a mon avis…)

2nd time- Lol. a million kagillion trillion years is a reeeeaaalllllyyy long time. I'm glad you will continue to follow, thanks!

Princess of The Nile- I'm sooo sorry! I NEVER wanted to make anyone cry (although I guess I can say I'm glad it was that powerful…). I'm really sorry! I hope this chapter didn't bother you either… I included a brief mention of Anzu being called beautiful just for you! Don't worry about the parents, they just don't understand, lol. Sorry I took so long in updating, I was out of the country and away from the laptop. Please don't cry!

teenyugiohpotterphantom- Thanks! I did have fun on my non internety trip, but it's good to be back on the world wide web. I love Ryou… and Seto….

xEternal Moonlight Pheonix Magex - Whoa, you guys through me for a loop with the name change, it took me a minute to figure it out, but very cool! Lol, thanks for continuing to read! I don't know… M3, don't worry, a lot of people have mentioned how they feel different about characters now… I have a lot more Ryou supporters, and a few less Yami supporters… It's weird. You sound like my friend, who used to have a Yami obsession before she turned into a Danny Phantom fan. Anyway, glad you liked it, sorry this one isn't as long!

The Cougar- Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! And more than a one word response feels honored!

Sirael Lythling – Yes, reading French counts! Yes, English gets a little boring sometimes…

Well, keep up the good reviews! I' now opening up reviews to anonymous reviewers, so please, everyone leave your comments! Remember, no flames – either let it be good, or constructive (or if you luv me, both!) So, review Chi Hanh! Update soon!

RR


	6. Playing Doctor

"Anzu."

Anzu turned slightly, her ears barely catching the sound of her own name. She was vaguely aware of the presence near by, just as she was only vaguely aware of her surroundings. Anzu's eyes were still closed, but she could picture a cloudy image of what lay in front of her eyes. It was the living room of her apartment, and she was lying on the couch, curled up in her favorite blanket. Anzu faintly recalled the night before, when she had come home and fallen asleep on the couch. She remembered waking up sometime later and feeling the weight of Ryou's head and shoulders on her own. She must have fallen asleep again after that. The weight was gone – he must be awake.

"Anzu!"

Anzu pulled the blanket a little tighter around her shoulders, feeling warm and comfortable. Ryou was trying to wake her up…

"Go'way Ryou…" she mumbled," Lemme sleep some more…"

She felt a hand on her shoulder, gently trying to shake her awake. A finger then prodded into her side slightly, she batted it away and muttered something else. How like Ryou, he would pester her until she woke up.

"Mazaki!"

Anzu shot up from her comfortable sleeping position and her eyes fluttered open. She turned her head slightly to take in her unfamiliar surroundings.

_Definitely not Ryou…_ she thought _And definitely NOT my apartment._

Immediately, she felt panic set in. Where was she? What was she doing here? Why? It seemed to Anzu that she was in some kind of library; a great fireplace crackled gleefully in front of her, and all around that, for as much as she could see, all bookshelves, packed to the brim with books. But what was she doing here?

"It's about time you got up," a voice said from behind her, not unkind. However, that voice was dreadfully familiar. Suddenly, everything came rushing back to her, every event of the day, from waking up and having cereal to seeing Mokuba at the restaurant to fighting off kidnappers, to arriving at the Kaiba Mansion's gate.

"Kaiba?" she asked hesitantly, although she already knew the answer.

"Who else?" he demanded. Seto crossed in front of her and sat down in one of the nearby plush chairs. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Anzu staring at Seto and Seto leaving the gaze unanswered. Anzu sat there, a numb screech filling her brain and spreading into the rest of her body. She had a horrible head ache, and a sharp pain raced up her back every time her heart beat.

"Is Mokuba alright?" she finally dared to ask.

Seto stared into the fire for what seemed like eternity, before turning to her and gazing into her crystal blue eyes with his own now cloudy blue. Anzu blinked, knowing she had never seen his eyes like that. It seemed to her that while they never changed color, they always changed. Sometimes, hard and cold as ice, sometimes, as deep as the ocean, sometimes dark, like a storm brewing, and, as she now found, cloudy and rheumatic with an age beyond his own. Anzu knew for a fact that Kaiba was only a few months older, but as they sat there in silence, she could see and feel almost centuries of difference.

_He looks so old…so tired…_

Finally, he spoke.

"Yes, Mokuba's going to be fine. The family doctor has treated all of his injuries. Mokuba's up in his room sleeping now."

Anzu nodded, relief flowing through every vein and dulling the pounding numbness that had enveloped her like a thick cloud.

"That's good," she said, not knowing what else to say," He fought hard."

Seto accepted this as if it were general knowledge. They fell into silence again, Seto's mind going a mile a minute and Anzu's struggling to start moving again.

"Would you like a drink?" he asked, out of the blue.

Without thinking, Anzu replied," Something strong."

Seto shrugged and, much to Anzu's surprise, got up out of his seat.

"Don't go anywhere," he said in a reprimanding tone," I don't want to have to send a search party after you if you decide to wander off."

Anzu felt her lips crinkled upward some, but as Seto left, she realized that he hadn't been joking. Just the library of the Kaiba Mansion was huge. Anzu felt the need to stand up and explore the large chamber, but her body seemed to protest. As she tried to stand up, every nerve screamed in agony, and every muscle groaned with weariness. Anzu gave up, and flopped back onto the couch again, sighing slightly as she sunk down into the deep cushioning. Anzu instead contented herself with watching the fire in the fireplace, much as Seto had only a few minutes ago. It helped in distracting Anzu from the absurdity of the situation – her saving Mokuba, being in the Kaiba mansion, accepting a drink from the elder Kaiba himself, and the fact that he had referred to her as _Anzu._ More than once. Anzu wondered if he had forgotten what had happened last night; she knew that _she_ hadn't.

"Mr. Kaiba sent this for you Ma'am," a maid said, surprising Anzu. She hadn't even realized that another person had entered the room. Anzu nodded, trying to gain her composure. The maid set a navy blue mug down on the table in front of Anzu. A thin train of steam rose up from it.

"Thank you," Anzu replied, trying to sound as polite as she could. The maid nodded, and sent Anzu a warm smile, much different from the look she had received from the first of the Kaiba staff that she had encountered. Anzu noticed that this maid was much younger than the first, and reckoned that that had something to do with the maid's politeness. The younger maid turned, and walked to the door, but turned back as she reached it, as if suddenly remembering something.

"Mr. Kaiba wanted me to inform you that that was the strongest drink he could find without risking your mental ability. He didn't think that you would appreciate him bringing you Schnapps."

Anzu's eyes bulged as the maid left the room. She had picked up the mug while the maid was speaking, and found that it was simply strong coffee. But Kaiba, suggesting alcohol? Anzu pondered over it for a moment, and then burst out into a fit of giggles. Was that Kaiba's way of making a joke?

Anzu cupped the blue mug in her hands, enjoying the warmth it brought. Slowly, she brought it up to her lips, and took a long sip. She sighed with simple contentedness, and drew the blanket a little closer around her. Although the coffee and the fire certainly warmed her, she was still somewhat chilly, she imagined because her clothes were slightly wet.

"Would you like another blanket?" a soft voice asked. Anzu, who had already been startled enough that day, panicked at the sudden sound of the voice. She jumped in her seat, and her hands let loose of the coffee mug. To her horror, she helplessly watched as the mug came in contact with the hard marble floor below, shattering into a million pieces and spraying its heated contents everywhere. She looked up as Seto Kaiba, and made a move to get up from her chair, but he out a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Don't move Mazaki," he said," Last thing we need is you to get your feet cut up. Wouldn't be able to dance then, let alone walk."

"I am so sorry Kaiba, I-" Anzu made another move, but was stopped as Seto kneeled down at the side of the couch and captured her with his eyes.

"Don't worry about it."

The younger maid rushed in, and silently and quickly cleaned up the mess of shattered mug. Without a word she came, and without a word she left.

_I bet Kaiba pays well for that kind of service._

Seto stood up and, almost entranced, so did she. However, unlike he, Anzu's legs refused to function properly. Her knees buckled, but Seto reached out and caught her.

"Don't strain yourself," he commanded, setting her back down onto the couch and taking the nearby chair again.

"I see," he continued," That you don't need liquor to intoxicate you, Mazaki. You act clumsy enough without it."

Anzu was about to hurl back a spiteful comment, but then realized what he had said – and how he had said it.

"You're joking," she said aloud, her disbelief more than evident. Seto ignored her comment, and instead regarded her in a business like manner. He rested his head on the platform created by his interwoven fingers, and said in a serious tone," We need to talk."

Anzu nodded, not taken aback by the sudden change in mood. "I agree. I have no idea who it was that was after Mokuba. Have there been any threats? Any serious enemies? An-"

"And," Seto continued, paying no attention to her questions," we will talk. But before that, we need to get you fixed up. Unless, of course, you plan to sit there and bleed on my blanket all day?"

He raised an eyebrow as Anzu slowly unwrapped herself from the blanket and regarded the great red stains she had left in it. A long red line showed where the injury on her arm had bled through, and a thicker one revealed to her the seriousness of the cut on her back.

"Oh," Anzu said, dumbly staring at the stains," I see what you mean. I should probably go then, and have Mai or Ryou-"

"Don't be dumb," Seto said sharply," You're in no condition to go yet. At least not until you're bandaged up."

"But-"

Seto sighed, and stood up from his chair. He offered her a hand, which she took, and he pulled her up. Anzu tried to stand on her own, but instead fell against Seto's chest. He wrapped an arm around her waist, and she stretched up to put an arm around his shoulder. Slowly, Seto helped her move out of the room.

"Look Mazaki," he said," I would be all too willing to let you go, but the last thing I need is for you to die in some alley due to a loss of blood and have your friends come and sue me."

Anzu rolled her eyes as she hobbled along," Wow, and here I thought you were actually doing something nice for a change."

"For a change?" Seto asked, sounding incredulous," I'm always nice."

"Right, and how are things on Planet You Wish?" she replied tartly. Seto was silent for a moment, and then chuckled slightly," Funny Mazaki, very funny. I just don't know what you mean. Like I said, I'm always nice."

"Ha," Anzu muttered," If last night was an example of you being nice, I'd hate to see you when you're being mean."

Anzu felt Seto stiffen slightly at the mention of last night's events. The walked in silence for a few moments, the tension thicker than Jou's skull. Seto sighed, and Anzu looked up at him.

"You were right," he said finally. Anzu looked up at him questioningly. Since when had he ever said she was right? Since when had anyone but him been right?

"About being a cold, arrogant, selfish jerk?" she asked. Seto raised an eyebrow, and looked down at her.

"You didn't have to sound so hopeful there Mazaki," he remarked," No. I meant about the grammar thing. You were right. I was wrong. So there."

Anzu almost stopped, and stare up at him, but Seto continued to walk, and since he was supporting her, she also continued. However, she was dumbstruck, for about the millionth time that day. _Was that a strange Kaiba way of… apologizing?_ The two teens fell back into silence. Once again, the absurdity of the situation came back to Anzu. Now, not only was she in the Kaiba Mansion, but there she was, pressed up against Seto Kaiba himself, who was supporting her so that she didn't collapse again and make a total fool of herself. Seto Kaiba, who was still not sporting a shirt. Anzu wasn't sure what she thought of that. Sure, Seto Kaiba was by no means ugly, in fact, Anzu couldn't help to notice that he was quite nicely built, but still, he was… Kaiba. In her mind, he wasn't supposed to look good. The whole shirtless thing, and the fact that she was clinging to him, wasn't helping at all.

Yesterday, they had been bickering over grammar and Yami. Today, well… Kaiba seemed different. Almost, nice. Was it possible that there were two different Kaibas? Mean, rude, insulting Kaiba and nice, considerate, funny Kaiba? That was the only explanation, but if course, it couldn't be possible.

"Where are we going?" Anzu asked. They had already been walking for about five minutes, passing various halls and turning down endless hallways.

"The lower kitchen. Most sanitary place in the house," Seto replied," It's cleaned perpetually because Mokuba always takes it upon himself to trash it."

Anzu nodded, and followed as Seto lead her down a staircase at the end of the hall. She hobbled down the stairs, grasping to his shoulder for support. The two of them came out in a large, open room – the lower kitchen.

L

Seto smirked as Anzu gazed with astonishment at his kitchen. He had seen the inside of her apartment – he guess that the kitchen and the apartment were about the same size, and from the look on her face, Seto could tell that Anzu had deduced the same thing. He had to admit, the kitchen _was_ huge, even for him, but that was how Seto Kaiba liked it. The kitchen was of course equipped with all of the newest technology – he had an enormous stainless steel appliances, and over head cupboards on every wall that held every type of cooking device imaginable. The color scheme showed that Seto himself had designed it; the counters, cupboards, walls and tile were all various shades of blue. In the center of the kitchen, a large island stood, like a mountain rising up out of a vast ocean (ooh, got to love the kitchen metaphors…). On the counter top of the island was an extensive first aid kit, which had already been opened, its contents spread across the island.

"Alright Mazaki, stop gawking and get up on the island."

Anzu snapped back to attention, and slowly made her way to the island, moving the best she could on her own. Anzu placed her hands on the counter, and tried to lift herself up onto it. Her arms wobbled weakly, and she slid to the ground. Seto sighed, and came over. He grabbed her by the waist and, as if she were as light as air, lifted her up onto the counter.

"Thanks," she muttered, and then," So, where's the doctor?"

Seto smirked," Right here."

Anzu looked around, bewildered. There was no one else in the kitchen but she and Kaiba. She turned back to Seto, who had moved past her and was now unwrapping a long strip of bandage from the first aid kit.

"But – you mean?" she stuttered. He cast a glance in her direction, then continued to gather his supplies.

"I refuse to let you-"

Seto looked up, a challenging look strewn across his face," Let me do what?"

"You're not a doctor!" Anzu finally spat out. Seto rolled his eyes.

"The Doctor had to go after he patched up Mokuba, who was, by the way, a lot more injured than you. I told him I could take care of the few scratches you did have. I'll clean your wounds and bandage you up," he said, and then raised two fingers in a universal gesture," That's all, Scout's Honor."

"You were never a Boy Scout," she muttered, desperately trying to think of a way to get out of the situation.

"How do you know?" he asked her, his attention still focused on the First Aid kit. Anzu blinked – she didn't know.

Seto smirked as the girl seated on the island grew silent. He had put her in an awkward situation, yes, but she needed some medical attention. Seto knew that Anzu was simply bothered by the fact that _he_ was the medical attention. He took a pair of scissors near by and cut off the strip of bandage that he had unwound. Seto grabbed the disinfectant, then turned to Anzu.

"Alright then, let me see your arm first," he said calmly. Anzu stared back at him, with a look that read: _Are you crazy?_ He smirk turned into a grin as she stuttered for a few moments, trying to think of what to say.

"At least put on a shirt first!" the brunette spat out. Seto blinked, not expecting that response. He looked down, and realized, for the first time since he had heard the commotion Anzu had been causing downstairs, that he was still shirtless. Anzu's sudden arrival had interrupted him in the middle of him changing out of his clothes, which had been wet from the walk in the rain he had just finished. He hadn't even put on a shirt. Seto wondered how long Anzu had noticed, and then wondered why he cared… Without a word, he turned and exited the kitchen. As he half-ran up the stairs, he could hear Anzu snickering behind him.

Anzu waited until she was sure that Kaiba was gone, then slowly shifted off of the island. Her legs were weak underneath her full weight, so she kept her hands on the island for support. She looked around, wondering if the single set of stairs were the only means of escape. Anzu braced herself, and took a step away from the island. Biting back a scream of pain, she took another step, and slowly made her way around the vast kitchen. She had almost given up, when suddenly, she noticed a small side door, tucked away in the corner, leading to somewhere else…

Anzu crept towards the door, hoping and praying that behind the small door was a way out of the mansion, and away from crazy Dr. Kaiba. She didn't think that he would be a bad doctor… the concept was just too strange for her to handle. Anzu made it all the way to the door, and reached out to the handle.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Anzu spun around, and fell back against the door in an attempt not to collapse again. Seto was standing there, now fully clothed, with a bemused look on his face.

"If you're trying to escape," he said, chuckling," That door won't help. The only place it will take you to is the pantry."

Anzu turned the knob and opened the door and found, true to Seto's words, the pantry. She turned back to him. He had put on a shirt, just a simple white tee shirt with the word "Seto" scrawled on it in what looked like blue marker. He was wearing, to Anzu's disbelief, loose fitting cargo pants.

"What's wrong Mazaki?" Seto asked, raising an eyebrow," I put on a shirt."

"It's just that," she said, not thinking," You look like a real person."

"As compared to any other day?"

Anzu thought for a moment," You know what I meant, it's just-"

Seto ran a hand through his hair," Don't bother, just get back over here and get back up on the island."

Anzu made an attempt to follow his orders, but in the end, needed his help in getting back across the kitchen and up on the island. While she wasn't paying attention, Seto took her arm in his hands. She stiffened at the touch, and tried to pull away, but he held her arm firmly.

"Relax Mazaki," he said, in almost a whisper," I'm not going to hurt you."

She could see that he was focusing more on her injury than her disposition towards him. Anzu relaxed her arm, knowing there was nothing else that she could do.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" she asked as she felt his warm fingertips probe the area around her arm wound. Seto snorted.

"I got an A+ in the First Aid course. And I'm Red Cross certified."

"But still-"

"This is going to sting a little," Seto muttered as he gently rubbed a wet piece of gauze over her arm. Anzu let out a startled cry, and lurched away. Seto took a step back, and stuck a finger in his ear.

"Jesus Anzu," he muttered," Are you aiming to resurrect the dead?"

Anzu bit her lip and held back her tears.

"Sorry," she mumbled. Anzu clenched her teeth as Seto moved back towards her arm and cleaned the long scratch with disinfectant. Gently, Seto took the strip of bandage, and wrapped it around her arm. He secured it with some adhesive tape, and then patted it softly.

"There," he said, sounding as if he were speaking to a small child," Was that so bad?"

Anzu looked down at her lap, a replied sulkily," No…"

"Alright now, lift up your shirt."

Anzu's head shot up, her face furious.

"What? Why you perv! I can't believe-" Anzu trailed off into a long string of angry sounding syllables while she tried to slide off of the island. Seto stopped her, grabbing onto her waist tightly and preventing her from moving off of the island.

"I didn't mean it that way!" he exclaimed, sighing. Before Anzu could react, he reached behind her and ran a finger down her spine. Anzu knew that she was ticklish, but instead of shivering, a strip of pain raced down her bad. She let out a muffled cry, and Seto pulled his finger away. He raised it in front of her face, and she clearly saw that it was colored bright red.

"I meant, turn around, and lift up your shirt in the back so that I can bandage your cut up. Now turn around and let me see."

Anzu scowled and crossed her arms across her stomach," No way!"

"Look, I'm not going to molest you or something," Seto said bluntly," And you can't go around bleeding. You'll kill yourself. And I won't mess up your uniform any more. Although I seriously doubt they'll want it back. Hope you have extras."

Anzu looked down, and, like Seto had earlier, realized what she was wearing. Her Burger World uniform was by no means conservative with its tight blouse and short skirt. It was worse than her school uniform, which bordered the line between school outfit and strip-club get up. She fought to restrain a blush that was trying to creep up onto her cheeks. She had never wanted him to see her like _this._ Suddenly, she felt herself being moved – Seto lifted her legs up onto the island and slid her around so that her back was facing him. Anzu made an attempt to turn around, wanting nothing more than to slap him, but he held her shoulders tightly.

"Wh-"

"So Mazaki," Seto said conversationally," What was Bakura doing at your apartment this morning?"

Anzu gaped and tried to turn around, but Seto prevented her.

"Don't try to change the subject!" she snapped, but he seemed to ignore her.

"He was pretty angry when I came by this morning. Have any idea why?"

Anzu scowled," Probably because you came by and said something to make him that way," she snapped. Seto sighed," Guilty as charged."

"What did you say to him?" she asked, fearing the worst.

Seto chuckled," You'll have to ask him yourself."

"He won't tell me!" she whined," What did you say to make him so angry?"

"Ah, yes. I guess he _wouldn't_ talk to you about that." he sneered.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing…" he said mockingly," So, did you get your umbrella?"

Anzu blinked," Um, yes. Thank you…"

"Mmm," Seto grumbled in response. Anzu translated that as "You're welcome."

"I didn't see you bring the umbrella in," he continued," And both you and Mokuba were soaked. Did you forget it again?"

"Shut up," she muttered," No I didn't forget it again."

"Then what happened?"

Anzu was silent for a moment. She bit her lip, and turned her head slightly so that she could see his face. Then, she let out a nervous chuckle.

"It broke."

Seto's eyes, which had been trained on her back, now reared up and met hers with a look of – Anzu almost couldn't believe it – shock and startled amusement.

"It broke." he replied flatly, and Anzu nodded vigorously," Uh-huh! I was just coming home from work when I saw the four men trying to kidnap Mokuba, so the first thing I could think to do was to hit the nearest one on the head with my umbrella. And then, well… it all went down hill from there…"

"So you broke your umbrella saving Mokuba?"

Anzu thought on this for a moment," Well yea, I guess you could say that, but not really. It was the second guy that attacked me that broke my umbrella. He hurled me onto the ground and then broke my umbrella, just like that."

Seto was silent for a few moments, his eyes shifted away from hers again.

"You're really dense, you know that Mazaki?"

Warm rage flared up inside of Anzu, and she would have turned to let him have it, were it not for the fact that Seto, as if anticipating her actions, placed both hands around her waist again and held her firmly in place.

"What are you talking about Kaiba?" she snapped, hoping he could hear the loathing in her voice.

"You're dense, that's all. Here you are, just sitting here, rambling off as if being attacked by four men and being brutally beaten was just an everyday occurrence… it isn't is it?" he said, his voice lowering with the last question. Anzu was silent for a moment, before starting up again.

"For your information, I'm not dense, I'm just… answering your question. And no, I don't get beaten on a daily basis, and even if I did, I wouldn't tell _you_ about it."

"Ah, that's right," Seto snorted," You tell your lover everything."

"I don't have a lover!" Anzu spat back," And I'm not beaten," she muttered," Unless of course, the constant verbal abuse I get from you is considered beatings…"

Seto didn't respond, and Anzu wasn't sure if he had heard her last comment. If he had, he paid no notice to it.

"I knew," he mumbled," That I shouldn't have used the Vodka. Just coffee would have done it. But no, now she's loopy…"

Anzu took and moment to absorb what he had said, before she turned her head again and stared at him in outraged shock.

"Vodka?" she exclaimed, her voice raising an octave. She _had_ been feeling a little better…," Did you put vodka in my coffee?"

Seto was silent, his concentrations other places.

"Seto?" Anzu asked, unabashedly using his first name," Did you spike my drink?"

Anzu felt something press firmly onto her back, and Seto stepped away from her.

"All done," he said, and moved to her side to start packing up the First Aid kit.

"Did you?"

Seto rolled his eyes," You can get off of the island now."

Anzu blinked – _Why won't he answer my question?_

"But-" she started, remembering," You, my back-"

"Is all bandaged up," Seto finished, shutting the First Aid kit with a click of finality.

Anzu sat there for a moment, before she allowed herself to place a hand on her back. Delicately, she traced her fingers around the bandage that now covered the area where her cut had been. When she pulled her fingers away, they were slightly damp, as if some of the cream he had put on the bandage had leaked through. Anzu looked away from her fingers and turned to stare at Seto, who was calmly leaning against the opposite counter, waiting for her to get off of the island.

"You!" she started, flustered and indignant. She quickly started to hop off of the island," You distracted me so that you-"

Anzu was cut off as her knees, for what seemed like the millionth time that day, buckled under her weight. Seto, for the millionth time that day, reached out and caught her.

"Definitely the vodka," he muttered as he led her back to the stairs.

"Did you really put vodka in the coffee?" she asked frantically.

"What do you think?" Seto snapped. Anzu sighed, and sunk slightly against him.

"Oh Lord," she mumbled," I'm too young to become a drunk!"

Seto rolled his eyes, and slowly helped her up the stairs.

"Relax Mazaki," he sighed, pulling a hand away from her so that he could rub one of his temples," You're not drunk. You're just acting dumb. I only keep alcohol in the house for business partners who come for dinner, and even then only offer it on special occasions. I wouldn't waste vodka on your condition."

"Thanks," she mumbled, still not feeling relieved," I feel much better now."

L

"And that's when he threw me onto the ground and broke my umbrella. He was coming towards me, when Mokuba hit him or something. Anyway, he collapsed and that was the last of them."

Seto sat in the chair opposite of Anzu, silently watching as she recounted the afternoon's events. They had made their way up from the kitchen, albeit slowly, and gotten a change of clothes for Anzu, and then come back to the library. Seto watched as Anzu nervously tugged at the long sleeved sweater that she now wore – while it fit Seto perfectly, it was much too big for her.

"So then," Seto started," was it when he threw you that you got the cut on your back, correct?"

Anzu nodded, and started again, telling him about how she carried Mokuba to the gates of Kaiba Corp-

"Which reminds me," he said, cutting her off," How did you get past the gates? There were no guards posted outside to let you in, and I highly doubt that, in your condition, you climbed them."

"I just used the key pad," Anzu replied, as if it were obvious.

Seto stared for a moment," Did Mokuba give you the pass word?"

She shook her head," No, he was conscious enough to tell me that it was a six digit pass code, but then he passed out again. I guess I just, figured it out. I doubt that you need an explanation as to how I did so, seeing as you designed it. But that was pretty smart, corresponding the numbers to the letters on a telephone."

Seto blinked, taken aback," And how did you guess what numbers to press?"

Anzu sighed," I don't know really. Once I figured out the number system, I just figured that Mokuba would be the best fit. It's the one thing that I knew you would give your life for, and it had six letters. It just worked."

He observed as she stopped talking, and cast her eyes down to the warm tea cup that she held in her hand. She took a sip of the warm liquid – which she had refused to drink until both the maid and Seto swore to her that there was nothing but tea in it. He really didn't understand her, which frustrated him. One moment, she was acting like a complete idiot, a furious, clumsy, angry idiot who could throw back insults with more ease than breathing, and the next moment, she was calm but doubtful, and intelligent. He had seen it before, but never understood it. Seto had heard someone once say that all girls were mysteries, but he hadn't believed it. No other girl he had encountered, not even Isis, confused him as much as Anzu Mazaki did. But he would never let her know that. Seto couldn't help but wonder though, what was going through her mind as she quietly sipped her tea. Yesterday, he had been a complete jerk to her – even he had realized that, although much later, and today, well… she had helped the one person he loved. And Seto was trying as hard as he could to be decent to her for it. It wasn't exactly cake. Seto shook his head, as if trying to clear away his last thoughts.

"So," he said," Do you know at all who the men worked for? Or who they were?"

Anzu shook her head, her eyes still staring into the depths of her teacup.

"Did you write down or remember the license plate number on the SUV?"

She shook her head again, and Seto scowled.

"Do you remember what they looked like?"

Anzu breathed in slightly, and then looked up into his eyes," No. It was all a blur."

Seto let out a frustrated sigh – How was he supposed to exact revenge if he didn't even know where to start. 'Four guys in business suits' wasn't exactly a description that worked to his advantage – he had over four guys in business suits working for him in his very own office.

"Do you have anything that will help?" he asked her, sounding a little sharper than he had intended. Anzu bit her lip, and set down her tea cup on the side table. She folded her hands in her lap to keep them from shaking. Seto rolled his eyes, and silently prayed that she didn't burst out into tears like she had last night. The only way he could respond to that was by insult, and he knew that Anzu wouldn't be much help at all if she refused to help him because of verbal abuse. Suddenly, Anzu's head shot up, and her eyes brightened. She quickly reached over the edge of the chair, winced as her torso twisted slightly and disrupted her back, and then moved more slowly to where her dirty uniform rested in a pile at the foot of the chair. Seto watched with curiosity as she dug through a pocket at the front of the uniform. Anzu pulled up a wad of bills and held them up in the air triumphantly.

Seto rolled his eyes. _What is she going to do, magically unroll the kidnappers from each dollar bill._

"How is the money supposed to help us?" he snapped, feeling more than a little annoyed, and confused. Anzu just smiled, her first real, blindingly white smile since she had first showed up in his house.

"This money," she said proudly," is my tip."

…

Seto stared at her, trying hard not to start screaming. Here was this girl, who told him many times over that she was more than the dumb cheerleader that he had judged her to be, waving around a wad of money like she had just found the cure for cancer. Sure, she was in advanced classes, sure, she had saved Mokuba, and sure, she had figured out the pass code, but none of those actions actually called for intelligence. Seto Kaiba was frustrated, very frustrated, with Anzu. Mokuba had been attacked, the guilty were still running around somewhere, doubtless plotting their next move, and the only thing she could think of was _money?_ He had plenty of that!

Instead of yelling, instead of making a fuss, he took a deep, deep breath, and released it slowly. He stared at her with cold, callous blue eyes, but rather than backing down, she returned the gaze with equal ferocity. Seto took another breath, and then spoke.

"Alright. And what exactly are we supposed to do with this tip of yours?" he said coldly.

Anzu didn't flinch, but instead let loose another smile," Help Mokuba," she replied cheerfully, before adding a ditzy sounding," Duh."

Seto rolled his eyes. _And she says she'd not a cheerleader…_ (no offense to cheerleaders, they rock!).

"How?" he asked. This would be the defining moment. If she answered the wrong way, he would have her leave the house, and work on finding them his own way.

"Isn't it obvious?" she said, sounding indignant.

"No, it isn't. Enlighten me."

Anzu sighed, and set the money down on the table in front of her.

"The four men came into the restaurant I work at, I guess to spy on Mokuba and Rebecca. Anyway, I had to wait on their table. And one of them gave me this tip."

Seto just stared," That's a lot of money for a lunch tip." he said blandly.

"They were in a hurry. But that's not the point! Think about it Seto!"

The boy's eyes narrowed slightly at the blatant use of his first name, but considered Anzu's words. She had money in her possession that the men who had attacked Mokuba once had. Once touched. His eye's widened, and he had to refrain from slapping his forehead. How could he have not come to that conclusion. Anzu smiled slightly.

"They weren't wearing gloves," she added.

Seto reached across the table and almost picked up the cash, but then stopped, not wanting to add his own fingerprints to the mix. He called instead for one of the maids to bring him gloves and a sandwich bag. Not exactly the best CSI gear, but it would suffice. He pulled on the plastic gloves and carefully began to place it in the sandwich bag.

"DNA fingerprinting normally takes a while," Anzu said, her voice suddenly disheartened," I just remembered that."

"Normally it takes a fair amount of time," Seto said, his voice sharp," But I think that the labs will put these bills on the high priority list…with some mild persuasion of course."

Anzu nodded as Seto zipped up the plastic bag. She could picture in her mind Seto's version of "mild persuasion" – Kaiba huffily storming into the Tokyo Forensics Lab, slamming the tainted bills down on the table, and demanding that they get the results in the next 24 hours or else they can say good bye to their jobs. She grinned slightly at the thought.

Suddenly, a maid rushed in. Seto turned in his chair and glared at the woman. She bowed, and then held out a cordless phone.

"Phone for you Mr. Kaiba," she said smartly.

"Who is it?" Kaiba demanded, his voice growing cold. Anzu shifted slightly in her seat.

The maid straightened and sent Kaiba a strange look, glanced to Anzu, and then looked back to Kaiba. Kaiba sighed, rolled his eyes, and took the phone from her. The maid bowed again, turned on her heel, and marched out quickly. Anzu sat in the chair, looking confused. _What had she done?_ She wondered for one fearing moment if someone like Ryou or Yami had found out where she was, and was calling Kaiba to accuse him of kidnapping or something ridiculous like that. It would be just like them to do something like that. Anzu held her breath as Kaiba sent a silencing look in her direction, then stood up from his chair. He put the phone up to his ear, and said agitatedly,

"Look, this really isn't a good time."

Kaiba turned and walked to the other side of the library, and began to pace. Anzu could see his facial expression as he listened to whoever was on the other end. She guessed that it wasn't Yami or Ryou – Kaiba would have never said something like that to either of them. A scowl crossed Kaiba's face, looking venomous.

"I'm sorry," he replied sarcastically," Hello. Look, this really isn't a good time."

He paused, and then spat out," No, I'm not at school, it's a Saturday!"

He stopped pacing for a moment, and then started again, in circles, looking to Anzu like a caged tiger. _Maybe caged dragon would be more accurate…_ she thought. Kaiba looked like he was about to spit fire.

"No, you can call me any time during the weekends except now. I've got a few problems on my hands right now- No, I'm not making excuses not to talk to you, this is serious!"

Anzu was sure that Kaiba almost hissed at the person on the other end.

"There was an attempted kidnapping. They tried to get Mokuba – no, he's fine, considering. Mazaki saw it and helped him out."

He glanced in her direction. Anzu turned her head away quickly, trying not to look like she was intently listening.

"Yes, Anzu Mazaki. No, you don't need to come over, everything is fine."

Anzu really wished that she knew who was on the other end of the phone – who was making Kaiba so mad.

"What are you saying?" he asked, his voice getting steelier," Fine then, come over right now! It makes no difference to me!"

There was a pause as he listened to the speaker on the other end, and Anzu saw Kaiba's face twist into fury.

"You have a meeting? Then why are you getting so worked up about all of this!"

His voice dropped, until Anzu could barely hear what he was saying.

"Alright. I'll pick you up when it's over."

"You too," he said, and it looked to Anzu like it was said rather reluctantly. She wondered what he meant. Without another word, he clicked off the phone, slammed it viciously on the desk near where he was standing, and stalked back over to the sitting area. He was muttering under his breath.

"Can't stand her…sometimes just…"

Anzu, despite herself, raised an eyebrow. _Her?_ _Was that a… girl on the other end? Surely, there was no way…_

Anzu realized that Kaiba was glaring at her. He was still standing, with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Do you think you're stable enough to go?"

Anzu blinked, and then realized what he was saying.

"What about the fingerprinting?" she asked, protest ringing through her voice.

"I'll take care of it."

Anzu wasn't done," What about Mokuba? Doesn't he-"

"Once again," Kaiba said coldly," I'll take care of him."

But-"

"Can you stand?"

Anzu was hit with a mild shock. Gone was the Seto Kaiba that had actually been… nice. Kind of. He had been replaced with the old Kaiba. She realized that she shouldn't have been surprised. Kaiba was more prone to mood swings than Mai was during that time of the month.

"Um, yea," she mumbled," I think so…"

Slowly, she pushed herself up from the chair, bracing her knees the best that she could. With one hand still on the chair, she bent down and picked up her dirty uniform. Anzu stared at it with a look of dismay – the long rip down the back and the browning blood stains ensured that she would no longer be able to wear that uniform. It was lucky that she had a spare at home.

"Good," he said in a business like manner. He turned his back to her and made his way to the door. Anzu followed the best that she could, her legs were unsteady but she didn't want to say anything. She followed his broad back down the winding hallways, not bothering to remember which way they came because she knew that she'd never be back. Finally, they came to a large set of stairs – looking down she realized that they were in the entrance hall. The older maid had returned to her position, as she heard footsteps above her she turned to look up. The maid sniffed daintily as she saw Anzu, clutching her dirtied clothes and shaking slightly. Anzu stumbled down half way down the stairs under the glare of the older woman. Anzu's right knee buckled, and she was pitched forward. Anzu slammed into Seto's back, who had stopped abruptly.

"Ow…" she mumbled," Sorry…"

She heard the maid sniff again, and she blushed fiercely. Seto turned and looked down at her. Past him, Anzu could see the maid turn and leave the hall, looking, for some reason, scandalized.

"I'd been planning to walk you home." he said. The words came out as sounding odd.

"But instead, I think we'll take the limo."

Anzu looked up, staring defiantly into his eyes. Personally, she was ready to get away from him. She had been too close to and seen too much of, Seto Kaiba.

"I think that I'll be able to make it back on my own."

Seto raised an eyebrow. Anzu, without realizing it, was clutching onto the front of his shirt, supporting herself from falling down the rest of the stairs. She had dropped her uniform when she first slammed into his back – it now lay between their feet.

"Alright then," he said, not protesting," Feel free to go on your own. But first, let go of me."

Anzu blinked, then stared down at her fists and the cloth tightly bunched beneath them. Quickly, with a look of horror on her face, she unclenched her fists and pushed away from him. Anzu tottered back, tottered forward, and slammed into Seto again. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his waist, taking him by surprise. The force of the action caused them both to fall forward. For what seemed like forever to Anzu, they tumbled down the grand stairs. Everything before her eyes was a confusing, spinning blur, with the exception of a pair of sharp blue eyes that were locked onto hers. Anzu held back a cry of pain as her back bumped against one of the stairs, and hugged Seto even more tightly. She heard him let out a burst of breath as she squeezed tighter. Abruptly, their fall down the stairs came to a halt. The two were sprawled across the floor, a tangle of limbs. Seto sat up first, and Anzu followed, still clinging to him and breathing heavily.

"Good going Mazaki," he snapped, looking over himself for injury. He looked down to her – her hair was tangled and mussed. Seto had to resist his almost obsessive compulsive neat behavior and not fix it. Seto blinked as Anzu suddenly broke out into a low chuckle, which quickly escalated into hysterical giggles. Just then, the maid walked in. Her eyes widened as she saw the two, sitting on the ground, Anzu's arms still wrapped around Seto's middle.

"Mr. Kaiba I-"

Kaiba blinked, and then narrowed his eyes. This was one of the moments he had been waiting for.

"Helena. You know what standards I operate by," he started, his voice monotone. Kaiba heard Anzu swallow a giggle at the sound of his voice; she was dead still. The maid, Helena, watched her boss with a look of suspicious respect – it was obvious that Kaiba had something in store for her.

"Yes Sir," she replied cautiously.

"I expect my employees to be efficient, respectable, and well trained."

"Yes… Sir." Helena said hesitantly.

Kaiba sent a glance in Anzu's direction, and caught her eye. He then glanced down to her arms, which were still wrapped around his midriff. She followed his gaze, saw was he had seen, and quickly pulled away, putting her arms behind her back.

"For years, you have served me well under those expectations."

Helena smiled slightly, looking relieved.

"Thank you Mr. Kaiba."

His gaze hardened, and he set a scowl on his face. The smile melted away from the maid's features, and was replaced by a pale look of worry.

"You're fired."

For a moment, the entire hall was enveloped in silence. Kaiba sat there, on the cold marble, the silent judge and jury who had just issued his sentence. Helena, the old maid in more than one way, stood, looking shocked, confused, and hurt – the awestruck perpetrator who had just felt the weight of the judge's gavel force itself down on her. And Anzu, who simply sat, arms still safely behind her back, wondering why the judge had acted as he did. Suddenly, the maid broke out.

"But- but, Mr. Kaiba Sir, why? Please Sir, I've served you dutifully for years! I served your step father, I served you and your brother without complaint! Please Sir, you must be joking!"

Kaiba sent her another steely, gut wrenching glare.

"You've served me long enough to know that I don't joke."

Anzu stared at what was happening before her. Amidst everything, a stray thought…

_He does joke… a lot._

Suddenly, the maid threw dignity to the wind and fell down to her knees, clasping her hands and begging.

"Please Sir! I need this job! I'm supporting my daughter and her family! My husband is in the hospital! Please Mr. Kaiba! Pleeaassee!"

Kaiba just snorted," I might have reconsidered before that pathetic attempt – you've set your own future in stone. You're lying, and I can't stand liars. You, Miss Helena Green, are unmarried, and live alone, without children."

Helena was speechless.

"Why so surprised?" he asked, his voice cutting like a knife," Did you think that I don't keep up on the important information of my employees? What kind of employer would I be if I didn't know who was working for me?"

Silence.

"I'm going to go drop off Mazaki. When I get back, I want you in my office Helena."

"But Mr. Kaiba, at least tell me why!"

Kaiba sent a long glance to Anzu," You were rude to one of my guests. You refused her entry, and failed to see that she was carrying_ my brother_ in _her arms._ You failed to see the urgency of the situation, and instead of sending for me, you attempted to push out both her and my brother, whom, I might add, you are also employed under."

"But Kaiba, you don't have to do that!"

Both Kaiba and Helena spun around to face a very meek looking Anzu Mazaki.

"Well- uh," suddenly, she was finding it difficult to speak," Uh- she was j-just doing her job." Anzu gained more confidence," That's right, she was just doing what you had told her to, which was to keep out unwanted guests. And as for Mokuba, well, with the state that he was in, even you had trouble immediately recognizing him."

Kaiba stared at her long and hard. She could feel herself shrink under his gaze, which had turned from cold and emotionless, to stormy and challenging.

"You are saying that I shouldn't fire her."

A statement, not a question. Anzu nodded, hesitantly.

"This is my household, and she is my employee," he said, a storm brewing behind his voice," However, I will consider what you've said."

Anzu nodded again, and saw Helena glance towards her, looking appreciative. However, Anzu knew that Kaiba was only saying that to appease her. His decision was still as strong as ever, and nothing, especially not the opinion of little Anzu Mazaki, would change that.

"Helena. Before you come to my office, tell Rupert and Mayao that I need to speak with them."

Anzu could only guess that they were the guards who had tried to kick her out. Kaiba stood up, still looking stately, and Anzu attempted the same, although less gracefully. Helena scampered out of the main hall. Slowly, Anzu followed Kaiba down a side hallway, to the garage. She looked back to the main hall.

In front of her, Kaiba walked determinedly. He saw, out of the corner of his eyes, Anzu look back to the hall, back to where she had first unceremoniously entered the Kaiba Mansion. Kaiba doubted that she could hear it, but in his ears, the satisfying thud of the guillotine echoed.

L

"Actually, could you drop me off… at the Game Shop?"

Anzu shifted in her seat uncomfortably, but it wasn't because of the seat itself. The seat was leather, padded and plush. No, all of her discomfort came from two dark blue eyes that she could feel on her face, staring, analyzing, judging. Anzu took a deep breath and continued.

"I promised the guys that I'd meet up with them at the shop after work. They're probably worried enough about me as it is."

Kaiba didn't say anything, just stared. Anzu couldn't tell if he was angry with her, but she feared that he was.

"I, I mean, if it's too much of an inconvenience, or you just don't want to, I understand I can w-"

"Roland," Kaiba snapped, turning to his driver/bodyguard," Kame Game Shop."

"Yes Sir, Mr. Kaiba."

The car smoothly started up, ad slowly pulled out of the Kaiba Mansion drive way. Anzu looked around, everywhere but at Kaiba. She had never been in a limousine before – and she had to admit to herself that if there was ever a limousine to ride in, it was Kaiba's. It had everything and more. Anzu had secretly looked for the swimming pool and helipad, and finally determined that Kaiba wouldn't spend money on something as silly as a swimming pool. But, besides that there was what looked like a full bar (Anzu suspiciously eyed the glass bottle she saw that looked a lot like good Russian Vodka), three televisions, two lap top centers, a phone, and multiple flat surfaces for writing. It looked like an office, minus the secretary. Finally, she looked out of the window, trying as hard as she could to look interested and content. In reality, she and Kaiba were sitting in an awkward silence that neither of them seemed to be able to break. No one spoke of it, or acknowledged it, but both could feel it.

It was Kaiba who broke the silence.

"Who all will be there?"

Anzu ripped her eyes away from the view outside of the window and turned to Kaiba. He was gazing demurely to the side, not at her. The question struck her as… more than odd. However, she knew that she had no choice but to answer it.

"Oh, just the normal group," she said, trying to sound casual and not at all as uncomfortable as she was feeling," You know, Yugi, Joey, Duke, Serenity and Marik," Anzu couldn't help but notice the slight raise of eye brows at the mention or Serenity and Marik, however, Kaiba said nothing," me of course, and-"

Anzu stopped, suddenly unable to speak. Kaiba had finally turned to her, his intense eyes practically drowning her. He fully raised an eyebrow, and crossed his arms over his chest. Anzu tried to ignore it, tried to keep talking, tried to say the name that was on the tip of her tongue, but she seemed unable to.

"And Yami?" Kaiba asked. Anzu nodded dumbly. Kaiba scowled.

"What about Bakura?"

_Definitely more than odd._

"No. He has to work with his Dad today," finally, Anzu worked up the courage to ask," Why do you care?"

Kaiba looked away from her, and she let out a silent breath of relief.

"I don't care," he muttered.

"Then why do you keep asking?"

"You tell Bakura everything, don't you?"

Anzu clenched her fists. This was getting old, fast.

"Stop trying to change the subject!" she exclaimed," I'm sick and tired of this! You prompt conversation and then never follow through, you just make me act like an idiot-"

"Like you're acting now?" he said mildly.

"Shut up! That's another thing I'm sick of!" Anzu was on a roll now," Don't you have anything better to do with your time than to insult me?"

Kaiba was silent for a moment, then," Why do you live with Mai?"

Anzu's eyes widened, and she suddenly realized something. Kaiba conversations didn't follow normal rules, they followed Kaiba's thought process, which Anzu had learned was very fast, and rather erratic. However, she hadn't been expecting _that_ question.

"My parents are international businesspeople. They travel the world year round. Right now they're in San Fran settling a deal on a new type of information storing software. They're never home, so I stay with Mai." she added, as an afterthought," Actually, Mai lives with me. The apartment is under my name, she just pays part of the rent."

Kaiba nodded slowly, processing the information. Anzu awaited his next question, which came shortly after.

"Your parents are Tomaya and Haruka Mazaki?"

Anzu blinked," Yes, they are. You've worked with them?"

"Unfortunately." he replied. Anzu could hear the disdain in his voice, and, although he was talking about _her_ parents, she couldn't help but second his feelings.

"Why don't you travel with them?" he asked," From what I know of them, I imagine that they would be training you to become the next Mazaki business partner."

Anzu sighed," They are, sort of. For the moment, they are having fun pretending that I don't exist. I haven't talked to either of them for the past two months. We had a big fight about my dance." a little voice inside of her was screaming _Why are you telling him all of this?_, but she kept talking," They don't like the idea of me dancing. They're perfectly content to smash my dreams and force me to follow their own tedious path. They also don't like me going to public school, but I told them that if they didn't let me stay at Domino High, I wouldn't go to any school at all, and I'd run off, join a traveling dance troupe, and marry a punk rocker."

She smiled, feeling smug. "They didn't believe that that's I'd do any of that, but it at least proved to them that I was serious about staying."

She finished, and settled back into her seat. Suddenly, it dawned on her what she had done, and what she had said. In front of Seto Kaiba. Anzu but her lip, and watched as Kaiba stared – not at her, but beyond her.

"I guess…" she ventured," My parents are kind of trying to do what your father did-"

She stopped as she watched Kaiba's eyes. Anzu knew immediately that she had crossed the line with that one simple statement. What had compelled her to say that? What had made her compare herself to him? She waited for the cold answer, the reprimanding tone, the burning, freezing eyes.

"Not really."

Anzu blinked. That was all that Kaiba said. She had expected him to- to start yelling at her, to kick her out of the limo and slam the door. But no, all that was offered in response was a bland 'Not really'.

On the outside, Kaiba was an emotionless slab. On the inside, he was turning himself around, tearing himself apart. Now, instead of not understanding the girl before him, he didn't understand himself. _I don't care about this girl's life_ he thought firmly _I don't care what she says or what she does. I'm just trying to unnerve her..._ But nothing sounded right in Kaiba's mind. Nothing made sense, so he just sat there. He turned away from Anzu, who he thought looked absolutely petrified, and looked out the window. The sun was low in the sky, and burning bright orange. The shadows from the street lights stretched long across the road – it was evening. Steam rose from the still wet tar of the road, however, it didn't look like there would be any more rain that day. People had started to reemerge from their shops and homes.

The limo passed by the museum. So much had happened, just last night. He glanced over at Anzu, and could tell that she was thinking the same thing. They were half a block from the Kame Game Shop when he signaled to Roland to stop. Anzu glanced up at him, finally feeling his eyes on her face, and sent him a silent question.

"I didn't think that you would tell anyone, besides Bakura, about what happened today. We're mortal enemies, it wouldn't be easy to explain you arriving in my limo," Anzu nodded, agreeing," And, with your pride, I know you wouldn't let me help you there," she looked slightly startled at the suggestion of him helping her, but stayed silent," So, if you can manage to walk, feel free to go."

He heard her mumble something about pride, but he ignored it.

"Thank you," she murmured, and said it again to Roland as he opened the door for her. Stiffly, she climbed out of the limo. Kaiba settled into his seat, and watched as she got out. It wouldn't take long for the two cuts to heal, he observed, they weren't deep. Suddenly, Anzu stuck her head back in the cab, a cheeky grin playing on her face, despite the weariness he saw in her eyes.

"What is it Mazaki?" he snapped.

"You owe me an umbrella."

L


	7. What Lies at Rest

RR: Please, everyone, see my author's notes at the end of the chapter! I have some very important notes and questions that involve your input!** PS- This was posted on the morning of my first day of school! It'd make me awesomely happy to have some great reviews when I get home (I have like, 12 hours of school related stuff... you guys have time) (Shameless advertising, sorry!)**

Disclaimer- If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh, I would be the ultimate source, and no one would question me on anything relating to Yu-Gi-Oh. But, seeing as my brother, aherocansaveus is still trying to contradict my ideas, that's not the case. Then again, he would probably still debate with me on it whether I was the creator or not. Oh well. Love ya bro.

Dedicated to my brother aherocansaveus – don't panic, I mentioned you in the beginning this time. Thanks for your ideas and input, while some of them might be a little… well… (I'm not shooting Ryou! That's that!) Love ya lots! And no more arguing about my extensive writing or the time span, ok?

* * *

Like The Rain by Revolutionnaire Rouge

Chapter 7- What Lies at Rest

* * *

Priceless.

That was the only way to describe the look on Seto Kaiba's face. Anzu fought so hard to keep a straight face as she slammed the door of the limousine and turned her back to the dark tinted windows. Quickly, she turned around the corner of the nearest building, and waited until she heard the sound of the Kaiba limo pulling away. Anzu stood, pressed up against the wall like a secret agent, and stayed that way, as if fearing Kaiba would come back and find her, until she was sure the car was long gone. Then, she relaxed, and continued to walk towards the Game Shop, snickering. The fact that the cut on her back stung each time she giggled didn't bother her; Anzu had gotten the last word, and that's all that mattered.

For so much of the day, Kaiba had had the upper hand – of course he had, they had been in his domain. She was getting tired of seeing Kaiba everywhere she went – it was as though Anzu could never escape from him. Were it not for Mokuba, she would have never gone to the Kaiba Mansion. If it were up to her, she would never, ever, go back to that place. The Kaiba Mansion. Anzu couldn't help but shiver.

However, she wouldn't let one building dampen her mood. Despite everything that had happened, all of the pain, all of the awkward moments, she had figured out how to catch the kidnappers, she had spoken up for the maid, and she had gotten to last word in a conversation with Cold As Ice Seto Kaiba. Sure, she was bruised, battered, and exhausted, but she was still victorious. The temporary happiness helped her to forget the weariness in every limb – for a brief amount of time, it was as if gravity had decided to go on vacation, and she was floating through air.

Anzu pushed open the door of the familiar Kame Game Shop, the small bell tinkled, signifying her arrival.

Immediately, she felt weight return with a crushing force, her legs were slowly sinking nearer and nearer to the ground. Anzu felt her verdict beneath the pair of crimson eyes that judged her carefully. Suddenly, the dark eyes turned considerably lighter, allowing Anzu to take a breath of relief.

"Anzu," Yami said, sounding slightly off," You're alright."

Anzu nodded, and managed to mutter," Sorry I'm late."

Yami took a step forward, and grabbed her injured hand. Anzu looked at the connection, startled, and for a moment, felt that feeling return, the warmth… However, it soon died out. She just couldn't explain it. Something had happened over the past week that had challenged and changed everything that she thought and felt. Anzu didn't know what, but whatever it was, it hung above her and Yami now, like a thick cloud. Three days ago, a happier day, seemed ages away from where she was now. Yami led her to the back living quarters, Anzu struggling not to wince as he pulled slightly on her arm. Beyond his handsome back, she could see the bright, colorful light of a t.v. casting odd colors on a wall, and hear the blaring announcement…

"_And that's it folks! In a spectacular final move, Alister Amelda has won the Duelist…"_

"We were all so worried about you," Yami finally said.

"I'm sorry."

"ANZU!"

Suddenly, Anzu was surrounded by a group of teens who were all scrambling to get closer to her, as if she were a famous celebrity. Her friends looked to her anxiously. Shizuka was the first to speak.

"Anzu, are you alright? What took so long? Did something happen?"

The others, Yugi, Duke, Jou, Honda and Marik all followed with the same questions. She smiled nervously, and sat down on the couch. Anzu glanced to the television, not surprised to see that it was tuned to the IDM Channel – International Duel Monsters. Anzu shifted her focus back to her concerned friends. She took a deep breath, made a quick prayer, and mentally, began to dig herself into a hole.

"Sorry about being so late guys," she said, sounding sincere," I should have called you all and told you I was going to be late."

"What 'appened?" Jou asked," It's almost sev'n an' you get offa' work at four."

"Well, there was a problem at work," Anzu lied, wishing that she could turn away from the multiple sets of innocent eyes that were earnestly drinking in her story. However, she couldn't help but notice that Yami seemed slightly… distracted. His eyes glanced towards the television, and then, almost reluctantly, returned to her.

"Just a simple scheduling problem. Two of the girls called in sick to work, and there was no one else to cover their tables. The manager forced me to stay and take their tables until the next shift came in and covered it. I was so busy that I never got the chance to call."

They all nodded.

"We'd been so worried," Yugi said," Shizuka was afraid that something horrible had happened when you got off of work, and Jou and Honda were just about to head out and look for you when you showed up. Duke called the restaurant, but he must have called just as you left, because they said you'd already gone home for the day."

"Yea," Honda said, with a crooked grin," all of us got so worked up about you being late, except for Marik and Yami. They just sat around like lumps."

"Hey!" Marik said, defensively," I was acting as moral support! Everyone would have been even worse off if I hadn't been here to tell you all that everything was fine. And see, I was right! She's ok. I did more than Yami anyway!"

Honda and Duke rolled their eyes, Jou let out a guffaw, and Yugi and Shizuka sniggered. Yami smiled absentmindedly.

"I was worried," he said simply. Everyone else seemed to accept the answer, but Anzu felt a cold knot of dread growing in her gut. Shizuka startled her out of her reverie when she grabbed her arm, and tugged.

"Come on! I saved you some pizza from the guys. You must be starving!"

Instead of agreeing, Anzu let out a not so muffled cry of pain. She tore her arm out of the younger girl's grasp, and pulled it close to her. Anzu took a deep breath and tried to hold back the tears that were pushing towards the surface – Kaiba had done a good job bandaging her arm, but he hadn't given her anything to dull the pain.

"Oh my gosh, Anzu I'm so sorry!" Shizuka gushed," What happened? Did I pull too hard?"

Anzu nodded, feeling sick. Slowly, gently, without ever asking, Yugi took her arm in his own small hands and pulled up the sleeve of the long sleeved shirt. He gasped as he saw the tightly bound white bandage, and the thin strip of red that had bled through. The others took immediate notice, and swarmed her again. Anzu was bombarded by questions, but didn't answer; she just sat there looking green until Yugi pushed them all away.

"Give her some space, jeez," he breathed. Yugi then kneeled down at Anzu's side, and looked her deeply in the eyes with his wide, innocent violet eyes.

"What happened Anzu? How did you get this injury?" he asked, sounding earnestly concerned.

Anzu swallowed back the bile that had risen into mouth, and began.

"Well," she said, laughing nervously," It's really stupid actually. It happened when I was covering those extra tables. I was delivering a big order to one of the tables, and I was really in a rush. Well, anyway, as I was making my way back to the booths with the food, I wasn't paying attention to the tables around me. One of the customers was holding up his steak knife – he was talking and hadn't set it down – and I came too close and accidentally slit my arm open. The guy apologized even though it wasn't his fault. The cut really isn't that deep at all, 'tis but a flesh wound'. Well, one of the cooks bandaged me up, and one of the waiters lent me some extra clothes, because I'd gotten blood on my uniform. My arm is still really tender though." she ended her story with another nervous giggle. Her friends all nodded, understanding, and doted over her injury. Yami stayed to the back of the crowd, now flipping through his deck and making the occasional, necessary comment.

A pain more intense than the one she had felt when Shizuka pulled her arm ripped through Anzu now. Suddenly, it was as if every question had been answered – she now knew the truth, and the truth hurt. Everything was now blindingly clear. Yami wasn't as concerned as the others were. It wasn't because he was unkind, or because he hated her. It was because he was preoccupied; he had other things on his mind. Anzu knew for a fact what two of those were: The newest, large duelist tournament coming up within the next few weeks, and Isis Ishtar. The latter of the two being the thing that had caused the sudden change between them. Over a span of about one week, Yami had completely changed.

And now, now that she realized that Yami didn't love her, didn't feel the same way that she had for him, Anzu realized that maybe, she was changing too.

_Something..._ she thought slowly, nibbling on the piece of pizza that Jou had shoved in front of her, looking regretful, _has changed both of us. I don't… I can't… like him._

* * *

"Are you sure you'll be able to make it home alright?" Yugi asked, watching as Anzu slowly pulled on her shoes. Anzu turned, and put a brave, albeit false, smile on her face.

"Of course. I'll be fine." she said, but no one seemed to believe her words. Anzu saw Shizuka nudge Marik in the side, and he came up.

"Um, Anzu, I could take you home. I'm headed to the museum, and Shizuka told me that your complex is right on the way there."

"That's a great idea!" Yugi exclaimed," That way, we'd all know that you were alright, and got home safely."

"'Sides," Jou added," It looks like it's 'bout ta rain."

The group looked out the front door, and saw the dark clouds hovering above. Anzu sighed internally – the feel of the rain on her skin would be a refreshing change…

"No, really, I'll be alright! You don't have to go out of your way for me."

"Anzu," Duke said, his sharp green eyes burning with logic," You're injured. The more you overexert yourself, the longer it will take for your injuries to heal."

"But-"

"Anzu."

The entire group of teens turned to face Yami, the commanding voice of the crowd. Anzu felt the color drain from her face as he stared at her with imposing eyes.

"Let Marik take you home."

Without another word, he turned on his heel, and went back to the living room to watch a rerun duel of Insector Haga and a lesser known duelist. Yugi broke the awkward silence by clapping his hands together and smiling cheerfully," Well, now that that's been decided, you guys should probably head out. We've got school tomorrow and I figure Anzu should get a good night's rest!"

Anzu blinked, dumbstruck. _So then, that's how it is? What Yami say_s,_ goes? What about… what about me?_

Jou, Honda and Duke nodded in affirmation with Yugi's statement, but Marik and Shizuka sent a nervous glance in Anzu's direction, as if they could read her mind. Anzu nodded slightly.

"Ok, let's go," she said mechanically. Inside she was trying to convince herself that Yugi and Yami were right.

_They're just looking out for me… Yami's right, I'll let Marik take me home…_

Although she was pretty sure that, no matter what she had decided, she wouldn't have had a choice.

* * *

"Thanks Marik, I really appreciate it."

Marik cast her a wayward glance from the drivers side of the vehicle. The look, although harmless, froze her in her tracks.

"Somehow," he said slowly, as if choosing his words carefully," I don't think so…"

"What do you mean?" Anzu asked earnestly. Marik's brow furrowed, and he though a moment before speaking again.

"Yami and Yugi never asked you what you wanted. Everyone else just agreed… you had… no choice but to let me take you home. I don't know if you've noticed Anzu, but from the look on your face, I'm going to assume that you have. Yami's in control. Of the entire group, you know?"

Anzu nodded.

"I mean, don't get me wrong or anything, Yami's a nice guy and all, but, it's like, whatever Yami says, goes. And that's that. I've seen how he bothers you about your dancing. He doesn't like it because you're no longer there all the time to cheer him on. Do you know what I mean?"

Anzu nodded again, wearily. Marik had hit the nail on the head – that was exactly how she had felt.

"I do Marik, but I do appreciate you for dropping me off," she smiled slightly," I'm really exhausted, I'll see you at school tomorrow!"

Marik nodded, and drove off after he saw Anzu safely reach the stairs leading up to her apartment. Anzu trudged up three flights of stairs, and finally collapsed against the door while she unfolded her uniform and dug her key out. She unlocked the door and stumbled inside.

"Mai!" she croaked, looking around the empty kitchen and living room," Mai!"

Anzu began to make her way towards her own bedroom, but then noticed the flashing light on their answering machine, signaling a message had been left. She hobbled over to the machine, and pressed a button. The flashing light stopped, and her own voice filled the empty apartment.

"_Hello, you've reached the Kujaku/Mazaki residence. If you're calling for Anzu, press 1. If you're calling for Mai, press 2. If you're selling something, we don't want it. Seeing as we're obviously not answering the phone at the moment, leave a message at the tone and we'll decide if your worthy of reply. Bye!"_

The high pitch beep sung out, and then another voice came on.

"_Hey Anzu!"_ a familiar British accent said cheerily,_" I just wanted to tell you that dad let me off a little early. Give me a call when you get home from work! I'll talk to you later, Bye!"_

Anzu smiled a little at his happy tone. She reached for the phone, and then glanced to the open door of her room. The thoughts of a comfortable bed and a few hours of sleep were inviting.

"I'll call you back a little later Ryou, promise…" she whispered. Anzu turned away from the phone and walked to her room. She pushed the door open, dropped her dirty uniform in the laundry pile, although she knew that no amount of detergent would wash out those stains. And there were more than just blood stains. There were emotional stains as well. Anzu stared at the uniform, ripped and bloody, lying, discarded on the ground. Feeling as though she should find something metaphorical in it, but too tired to think about it for too long, Anzu collapsed on her bed and sunk into the blissfully thick comforters. Anzu was out before she heard the next high pitched beep, and a second message that had been left on the answering machine.

"_Anzu, it's me, Ryou. I was just getting a little worried, it's 5:00 now and I know you get off of work at 4. I called over to Yugi's and he said he hadn't heard from you yet. Call me as soon as you get home, alright?"_

And again…

"_Anzu, where are you? I just got off of the phone with your boss, he said that you left at four, but it's 6 and I still haven't heard from you. I'm sure your fine, but still I can't help but worry. I know you've been having it rough recently, and well… you're my friend and I care for you a lot... well, just call me as soon as you can, alright? Please? Ok… I love you Anzu. Bye."_

Anzu slept peacefully, ignorant of the phone confession… and the trouble it would cause.

Anzu slept for hours, not awakening when Mai came in later that night, or when Mai checked on the sleeping girl, looking worried. She slept as her alarm beeped, once, twice, and again, its wails getting louder. She slept as Mai, who had been awoken from the sound of Anzu's alarm, quietly turned off the alarm, checked her temperature, frowned, and left to go to work.

Anzu slept, happily unaware of the chaos that was happening in unobserved parts of her life. She dreamt of raindrops falling down and turning into familiar, blue eyes.

* * *

_Thud. Thud thud thud. Thunk!_

Immediately, Anzu's eyes fluttered open. She looked around her room, half expecting to wake up in the Kaiba Mansion. She was relieved not to be. For a moment, she wondered why she had gotten up- she had been having such a lovely dream that she now couldn't remember. Like a bright mood on a rainy day, Anzu's dream had vanished, gone without a trace. However, a feeling still remained, and while she didn't know why, she couldn't help but let a smile inch across her face. Bright, cheerful sunlight blazed through her blinds, but Anzu took no notice of it. The sound of knocking at the apartment door reminded her as to why she had woken in the first place.

Anzu swung her legs over the edge of the bed, allowing them to dangle for a moment as she yelled, at the top of her lungs," I'll be there in a minute!"

The knocking stopped. Anzu bounded out of bed, but her joyful leap was cut short by a sharp pain that streaked across her back. She doubled over and held her arms close to her, taking deep breaths to overcome the sting. But, as she clutched her arms near to her stomach, another ripping pain issued from her arm. She unclasped her arms, and stood up straight. Anzu remembered everything. She wished that it had been a dream, but there she stood, sweating and breathing heavily as if she had just run a four minute mile. Tentatively, Anzu took a step, and let out a sigh of relief as her knee and leg stayed strong, not buckling as they had yesterday. Anzu shuffled to out of her room, through the living room, and over to the door.

"Who would be knocking at this hour?" she asked herself, in an imitation of what she knew Ryou would say. Anzu had gotten up to go to school, surely, and she knew that she got up early. Anzu pulled open the door.

"Shizuka!" Anzu exclaimed, looking surprised to see the younger girl standing there, slightly staring up at her with big, olive green eyes.

"Anzu, you're alive!" Shizuka said as she stepped in. Anzu looked at her, puzzled.

"Of course I am, what did you think? And Shizuka, shouldn't you be on your way to school?"

This time, it was Shizuka's turn to look puzzled. Anzu noticed that Shizuka already had on her school uniform, and had her backpack slung around one shoulder. Shizuka had her hair pulled back in a pony tail, and Anzu could see that she had already put on her make up.

"Anzu… what do you mean? School's half way done." Shizuka paused as Anzu sent her a startled look," Haven't you looked at a clock?"

Slowly, Anzu turned to look at the clock above the kitchen stove. Her eyes were blurry still from having just woken; Anzu blinked once and the clock came into sharp focus. She stared at it, taking a moment to let her brain absorb the information presented in front of her. _There's no way…_

"It's 11:30…" Anzu muttered, disbelieving," Lunch break."

Shizuka nodded.

"But, how is that possible? I – I…"

Shizuka took Anzu's good arm and steered the confused girl to the couch. Anzu sat down, and Shizuka sat down next to her.

"You looked like you had a rough day yesterday, and Marik told me that you looked absolutely exhausted when he dropped you off last night. I know that you've been going through a lot these last few weeks, between work and school, I'm sure you were just tired and this was your body's way of getting caught up."

"But, I've had perfect attendance…" Anzu mumbled. Never, never, in the history of her high school life, had she ever missed a day of school. And now, she had, not because she was dead, or gravely ill, but simply because she had overslept.

"Don't worry about that," Shizuka said, her eyes shining in sympathy," I think you needed a day of rest."

Anzu nodded dumbly, and Shizuka continued.

"The real reason I came here today, was because I really needed to talk to you. I'm here on lunch break, so I don't have that much time, but even if I'm late, it won't matter, I have economics next and the teacher loves me… Anyway, I have a question."

"Alright," Anzu said," Ask away." She was still tired, upset at having missed school (she realized that there was no point in going now), and a little annoyed at having been awoken for conversation's sake, however, Shizuka was a good friend, and somewhat like a little sister to Anzu. She had very few female influences in her life, having grown up with Jou and their drunk father, so Anzu took every opportunity offered to help the girl.

"Um… well…" Shizuka turned her head away from her friend, and looked at her hands, which were folded in her lap. Anzu could see a bit of color enter on Shizuka's cheeks. Anzu fought the urge to raise her eyebrows in question, but instead sat and waited patiently.

"Well… what do you think Yami would do if… if…" Shizuka trailed off, now looking both distraught and embarrassed. Judging from her actions, Anzu had formed some ideas about what Shizuka was going to ask, and therefore understood why Shizuka was acting how she was.

"What Yami would do if Marik and I… started going out…" the girl finally spat out, her hands wringing together in her lap. Shizuka looked up to Anzu, who was smiling brightly.

"Shizuka! Oh my gosh! I just knew it, you two will be perfect together!" Anzu flung her arms around her friend, and gave her a big hug, being careful of her injured arm nonetheless. Shizuka giggled and blushed, and then pulled away.

"I'm glad you think so…" she mumbled, sounding disheartened, but still smiling slightly.

"But why are you worrying about Yami? Shouldn't it be overprotective older brother that you're worrying about?"

Shizuka shook her head," No, Yami. Marik told me that he talked to you a little bit last night, about Yami's role in the group…"

Anzu nodded, understanding.

"Well, I think that Jou will be a lot easier to get past than Yami. You know, that whole Battle City thing still really bothers Yami – he acts alright, but I can tell. Jounouchi has kind of gotten over it, so it would be easier to convince him that Marik's all good now. But, well, Yami… there's kind of the Ancient Egyptian grudge, you know?"

Anzu nodded again, and couldn't help but think back to what had happened at Battle City. She tried to restrain a shiver as she remembered how a possessed Marik had possessed _her_, trapping her real spirit in the Shadow Realm, and battling Yami in a duel for her life. Of course, she didn't remember any of it, but she had been told that while Yami had won the duel to save her, it had been Kaiba who had removed the danger of her getting crushed by a ten ton crate by using his Blue Eyes White Dragon card to knock the controls of the crane holding the cart out of the hands of the Tomb Keeper. However, she knew that Marik had changed - the fact that sweet, kind Shizuka had fallen for him was good proof of that. But Anzu could see where Yami would have trouble with the whole relationship. Shizuka was right, Yami didn't fully trust Marik yet.

"And well," Shizuka continued," Yami's kind of the group leader. I get the feeling that if he doesn't 'approve' of our relationship, we'd either have to leave the group, or not be together. And personally, I'd rather not opt for either of those choices. What should I – we – do?"

Anzu sat there in silence for a moment, stroking her chin and trying to think. Shizuka sounded distressed as she spoke, and she couldn't help but pity the girl. Anzu could imagine how she felt – she figured that it would be the same if she and Kaiba ever fell i-

_Whoa! Too much! _her head screamed, making her wince _You will NEVER fall for Kaiba, nor think of him like… anyway, focus on Shizuka's problem!_

Anzu could feel a headache coming on.

"Okay," she started," I think that you and Marik should go for it. Start dating, and don't worry about what the others say. Yami doesn't control your life, and if he and the others consider themselves your friends, than they'll see the reasonability in your decision. You should never let what someone else thinks come in the way of true love. However, just remember, that no boy is ever worth losing your best girl friend."

Anzu watched as Shizuka's face lit up happily.

"Thank you sooo much Anzu!" she exclaimed, wrapping her in a tight hug," You helped me figure it all out! You make it sound so easy and simple, I really think that Marik and I will be able to do this!"

Anzu smiled," You're welcome Shizuka. Don't worry, everything will be fine. Now, you should go ahead and get going – you don't want to be like me and be late to class."

Shizuka smiled and nodded, before giving Anzu another hug and rushing out the door. Anzu noticed the twinkle in the younger girl's eye, and the rejuvenated spring in her step. She hadn't seen Shizuka look so happy in a long time.

Anzu, on the other hand, felt sick. She was happy for Shizuka, yes, but at the same time… Anzu hadn't believed a word of what she had said to encourage Shizuka. Anzu was positive that Yami wasn't going to be happy, and that trouble would come of all of this, however, she just couldn't sit there and watch her friend waste away, locked in a dilemma that required her

to keep her love secret. Anzu waited until Shizuka was out of sight before she turned and shut the door of the apartment.

"I can't believe…" she muttered," That I missed school. That I overslept…"

Anzu trudged back to her room, still not bothering to change out of the long sleeve shirt and pants from last night. Something about the clothes tugged at her, but she couldn't think of what. As she settled down into her comfortable bed again, she noticed a faint trace of spicy smelling cologne coming from the shirt.

* * *

It took Anzu much longer to rouse herself the second time around. However, instead of waking to the distant sound of a fist pounding on her front door, she woke to two, very close, chocolate brown eyes staring down at her. Anzu blinked, and then shot up in bed. Their heads collided and banged against each other with a painful thunk. Ryou took a step back, rubbing his head, as Anzu stared at him.

"What are you doing here Ryou?" she asked, moving a hand up to her own forehead and rubbing it. She hoped that there wouldn't be a bruise.

"Um… good afternoon to you too Anzu," he mumbled, but Anzu could detect a smile in his tone of voice. Ryou sat down in her desk chair, sitting in it backwards and leaning his arms up against the back of it.

"I came to see how you were. I knocked on the door for quite a long time, but when you never answered. I started getting worried. So, knowing that, as your best friends, it's my duty to watch over you, I used the spare key and let myself in," his soft British accent turned a little harder as he narrowed his eyes and looked at her with unbridled concern," Anzu, I'm sorry, but I was so worried. I tried to call you, but you never picked up, and when I called, Yugi hadn't heard from you and your boss had said that you had left and I was panicking all night and when you didn't come to school I-"

"Ryou, don't worry," she said, sitting up a little straighter in bed. She was touched by his concern for her – it was concern that she hadn't seen since she'd left the lower kitchen of the Kaiba Mansion," I'm alright now. I'm sorry for not calling you back, I got your message, but I was so tired that-"

"Did you get the last two messages I left?" Ryou asked, sounding both anxious and a little…sheepish. Anzu looked at him, curious and puzzled.

"No, I only remember listening to the first one. Why?"

Ryou looked away from her for a moment," No reason."

The two sat in an uncomfortable silence for a moment, Anzu looking at Ryou, curious, and Ryou looking away from Anzu, pretending to be fascinated with a picture on her desk. Suddenly, Ryou turned back to her, and clapped his hands together much like Yugi had done the night before.

"Would you like some lunch?"

Anzu laughed," Sure. But no cereal this time, ok?"

Ryou nodded and sighed," I'll try, but that might be the only edible food in the household."

"There was some leftover Chinese food," Anzu offered. Ryou grinned, and stood up. He held out his hand, and Anzu took it with her uninjured arm. He pulled her up and out of bed. Anzu walked out of her room behind him, relieved that he still hadn't noticed there was anything wrong with her.

_Maybe he won't notice anything… and I won't have to lie to him._

Anzu sat down at the kitchen table, and watched as Ryou shuffled through the cabinets. After a few minutes, he brought out a dented box of macaroni and cheese. He found a clean pot, filled it with water, and set it on the stove to boil. He grabbed a cup from one of the over head cabinets, got out a jug of water, and filled it before setting it on the table in front of Anzu. Then, he sat down at the table in the chair opposite of hers.

"You didn't come to school today," he started, his voice light and soft. Anzu saw that he must have just come from school – he was still wearing his school uniform, although he had taken off his blue jacket and was just wearing his white under tee-shirt. She looked around, and saw his backpack abandoned near the front door.

"Yea," she replied," I know."

Ryou laughed a little," I figured you would, but I had to come and tell you, just in case you weren't aware. What happened?"

Anzu bit her lip, knowing that this question would be coming.

"I was really tired after work. As soon as I got home from Yugi's, I just crashed. I forgot to set my alarm, and overslept. I didn't wake up until Shizuka came by on her lunch break to ask me a question."

Ryou nodded," I thought I saw her sneak off. Marik said she was in the library doing a project, but I didn't believe him – if she really had, he would have gone with her. I really do think that they're going to start going out. I don't know how the others haven't noticed, they're almost always around each other. Not even Duke and Honda have noticed, but then again, but then again, they don't notice much."

Anzu laughed, and took a sip of water.

"Yea, actually, that's what Shizuka came to talk to me about. She and Marik want to make their relationship… public. But she was afraid that Yami would have a problem with that."

"Yami?" I would have thought that it would be Jou she was worried about."

"Same here, but she was more concerned about Yami. He still hasn't gotten over that whole… Battle City thing."

Ryou sighed, and looked away," Yea, that makes sense."

Anzu could see the pain that slowly came across his face – she was positive that he was remembering his own involvement in Battle City. Well, not really his involvement, but Yami Bakura's, who had possessed his body and caused trouble for everyone. He had worked together with Malik, Marik's Yami, to overthrow Yami and Kaiba and take over the world. Fortunately, they didn't succeed, but the memories still burned strong in those who chose to remember. Ryou stood up and went over to check the water. During their conversation, it had started to boil. He dumped in the noodles, waited and stirred them, and then drained the water from the pot when they were ready. He stirred in a bit of milk, butter, and finally the cheese. Ryou got out two bowls, two spoons, and some napkins. He placed the bowl in front of Anzu, and got a big spoon. Ryou brought the pot over, and started to scoop some macaroni out into her bowl.

"Bon Apetit!" he exclaimed, smiling. Ryou scooped the rest of the macaroni into his bowl, and then set the pot in the sink. He came back over to the table, and sat down. Anzu was already buried in her eating. She hadn't realized how hungry she had been. The last thing she had had to eat was a cold slice of pizza, and before that… a cup of tea that she had been afraid was spiked. And one really can't eat tea.

"Ryou this is deli-"

Anzu stopped as she looked up. Ryou was sitting there, staring at her strangely, holding a spoon full of macaroni and cheese above his bowl. Anzu has a very bad feeling…

"What's wrong?" she asked, perturbed by his stare. She was affronted by chocolate brown eyes – she wanted to look away, but she just couldn't.

"Whose clothes are those?" he finally asked, setting down his spoon and motioning to her long sleeve shirt and pants. Anzu blinked. This was the moment of truth… or, well, lies.

"Um, Jou." she said, quickly looking away from his deep brown eyes," he let me borrow them when I got to Yugi's."

"Why did you need to borrow clothes?"

This was one of the down sides to being the best friend of Ryou Bakura – he wasn't afraid to ask questions. The formalities that dictated normal conversation were dropped, especially when he was worried. That trait of his was coming back to bite Anzu now.

"Well," she replied quietly, mentally taking her shovel from the storage shed and starting to dig again," My work uniform got messed up."

"How?"

Anzu had never imagined that someone as kind and caring as Ryou could have a gaze so intense that it rivaled that of Seto Kaiba's.

"I- I… was attacked on the way back from work."

Ryou's eyes widened, his panic clear. Her arm had been resting on the table; Ryou grabbed her hand and cupped into between his, squeezing it tightly.

"Why? How? Wh- Oh my God Anzu, are you alright?"

Anzu smiled weakly," I'm still here, aren't I? Yea, I think I'm okay. I was on my way to Yugi's when this guy came up to me with a knife and told me to come with him or else. He tried to grab me, and I fought and screamed."

Anzu stopped for a moment, watching the pain and worries in her best friend's eyes unfold. She felt sick to her stomach – Kaiba had told her that she was a bad liar, but all of her friends had believed her stories so far. She completely forgot the fact that the story she was telling Ryou was different from the one she had told the others.

"I got away, but not before he nicked my arm. That's all, really. Then, when I got to Yugi's, Jou had brought some extra clothes because he was going somewhere later. My uniform was all messed up, so he let me change into that after Grandpa bandaged me up. I'm really alright, I swear."

Without speaking, Ryou removed one of his hands from hers, still holding it firmly with the other one, and slid the sleeve up to her shoulder. He stared at the bandage, and the blood that had soaked through from the injury. He squeezed her hand tighter, and gently traced the red line with a finger. He then looked up at her, capturing her with his eyes that same way Kaiba had the day before.

"Anzu… I… you should have called me."

"I know," she whispered," I was just… so tired."

Suddenly, she felt everything well up inside of her. Everything that had happened yesterday, everything that was happening today – the lies, the pain, the care, it was all spilling out from her eyes, clouding her vision. She heard Ryou's chair scrape against the floor, and felt his arms wrap around her shoulder.

"It's alright," he said," Everything's fine, don't worry."

She sniffled a reply, and Ryou helped her stand and led her to the couch. They sat down, and she laid her head on his shoulder again.

"Thank you," she murmured," Thank you so much."

"Of course," he replied, again taking her hand," That's what friends are for. Someone who can be a shoulder to cry on, to talk to when you need to get something out, to be there when life seems to suck."

"Yea," Anzu said," And to make really good mac-and-cheese."

"Oh, is that why I'm important?" he said, teasingly," You need someone to cook food for you all the time?"

Anzu smiled and punched him gently in the shoulder," No, I need someone to worry when I disappear and to keep me from killing Seto Kaiba."

"Ah, well then, I've got that covered!" Ryou said cheerfully. Anzu nodded, and sat up.

"Are you going to finish that macaroni?" she asked, remembering her still roaring hunger.

"Go for it."

Anzu stood up and grabbed his unfinished bowl from the table, then came back over and sat down on the couch.

"Well," Ryou started, sighing a little," Now that I know that you're alive, I should probably go. I didn't call and tell Dad that I was going to be home late, and I'm sure he'll be upset when I get home. I was supposed to help him categorize some rocks from a site that his crew believes might have once been an ancient Egyptian temple.

"Sounds fun," Anzu replied in between bites of macaroni and cheese.

"Yea," he said sarcastically," It'll be a blast."

Anzu laughed, and Ryou stood up. He grabbed his backpack, and turned the door knob, but didn't open the door.

"Are you sure everything is alright?" he asked, his voice concerned again.

"Absolutely!" she replied, trying to keep a smile on her face. Somehow, she doubted that he fully believed her.

"Alright. If anything comes up, you know, call me, I'll be home. I'll see you at school tomorrow, right?"

Anzu nodded," Bright and early! I'll make sure to set my alarm tonight. I think that, just with all of the work and everything that happened yesterday, I was exhausted. But I got a good night's sleep yesterday, and will get one tonight."

"Okay. Like I said, if anything happens, call me."

"Yes Sir!" Anzu said, making mock salute. Ryou smiled slightly, pulled the door open, and with a final "Good-bye", closed it and made his way down the stairs.

Anzu breathed a sigh of relief. She had managed, at least temporarily, to fool her best friend. Hopefully, she had him under the belief that she was fine. That she had just over slept. That she had borrowed the clothes from Jou. Anzu wasn't sure how Ryou would have reacted had she told him to truth. She didn't really want to find out.

Anzu stood up from the couch, taking the empty bowl with her. As she walked past the kitchen table, she grabbed the other empty bowl, and set them both in the kitchen sink. She'd clean them later. Anzu made her way back to her room, passing the phone in the process. Anzu remembered the strange comment Ryou had made about the messages, and stopped. Curious, she pressed the "Play Messages" button on the answering machine, and waited.

"_You have no new messages." _and automated voice said.

"Weird," Anzu muttered to herself," Mai must have erased the messages when she got home…"

Anzu entered her bedroom, opened her closet, and pulled out a comfortable pair of jeans and a tee-shirt. She realized that she was going to have to explain everything to Mai when she got home, and the prospect wasn't appealing. Anzu grabbed her clothes and walked across the hall into the bathroom. She flicked on the light, and gasped at what she saw in the mirror.

_No wonder everyone's been so worried about me…_ she thought, as she stared into the mirror, _I look like I'm a victim of a hit-and-run._

She smiled grimly.

_Ha ha, that's right, I am. In a sense…_

Anzu changed into her own clothes, and folded the clothes that Kaiba – not Jounouchi – had lent her. She brushed her hair and washed her face, taking all of the steps necessary to start feeling human again. Slowly, she was starting to look like Anzu Mazaki again. Anzu was just debating whether she should change out her bandage or not when the phone rang.

_Who is it now?_ she thought, picking up the phone. She prayed with all of her might that it wasn't Yami. Or worse – Kaiba.

"Mazaki/Kujaku residence, this is Anzu speaking." she said in a polite tone as she answered the phone.

"Anzu! How are you?"

"Mokuba?" she asked, confused. The voice sounded a little like Mokuba, but yet-

"Yea, it's me. I know, my voice is all crackly. Isn't it weird?"

"Just a little," she replied honestly," You're sounding great though!"

Mokuba laughed," Well, under the circumstances, I feel okay too. I slept all last night and all of today, and Nii-san said that you weren't at school today so you must have done the same. Are you doing alright?"

Anzu sighed, and smiled. She couldn't help it; the younger boy's exuberance was infectious.

"I'm doing okay. I overslept, and missed school, and my back aches a little, but besides that, I think I'll survive."

"Good," his voice suddenly turned serious," Anzu, I have a question. I'm going to ask you something very important, and you've got to promise that you'll do it, alright?"

Anzu paused, a strange suspicion floating through her mind. Something wasn't right about all of this… but still. The kid had been through so much, the least she could do was promise him something.

"Sure, I promise. But why ask me if I promise that I'm going to do it anyway?"

Mokuba laughed, and Anzu swore that she could hear a hint of nervousness in the tone of his voice.

"Right, of course. So, Anzu…"

"Yes?"

The boy laughed again," Will you come over to the mansion to have dinner with me and Nii-san tonight?"

Anzu almost dropped the phone, and she felt her leg go weak. Only one word raced through her mind.

"No."

Suddenly, she realized what she said, and how callously she'd said it. She was just in a state of shock.

"I mean, no, thank you Mokuba, but I just don't think that I can."

"But why not?" he whined. Anzu could hear that she had been set up – it was obvious.

"Well, I'm still a little tired, and I've got some plans tonight and-"

"Well you can't complete your plans if you're tired! Please Anzu? Come? You promised!"

Anzu scowled – she had definitely been set up. But, at the same time, she could hear the ears in his voice as he begged her to come. She was sure that Mokuba was giving her puppy eyes on the other end, even though she couldn't see them in real life, just the thought of them was enough to make her give in. However, she tried again.

"I know Mokuba, I'm sorry I just can't."

But you promised!" he cried," Why won't you come? Is it because of Nii-san?-"

_Well that's one reason…_ she thought.

"I promise he'll behave! And besides, I think that he's as thankful as I am that you came and helped me. I don't think he'll be any trouble! Or is it because you're hurt?-"

_There's the other reason…_

"Because you know, Nii-san told me that you didn't get cut that bad, and while I'm sure that they hurt a lot – I know mine do – I still just…"

Anzu felt guilty. Here Mokuba just wanted her to come and eat dinner with him, and she was refusing him. He was hurt a lot a lot worse than she was, but he still managed to sound happy, and want to eat dinner and have her come. If she had been him, she would have still been in bed. And well, as for Kaiba…

"Alright," he said, in a tearful whisper," I understand… you don't have to come. I'll tell the cook to hold off on the extra plate. Thanks anyway. I'll talk to you later Anzu…"

She could tell that he was about to hang up, when finally, it got to her.

"Mokuba, wait!" she exclaimed.

"Yea?"

"I'll, um, I'll come."

"YESSS! Thank you Anzu!" all traces of sadness and tears in his voice were gone, she realized with a sinking feeling that he had probably just been acting the entire time, in order to get her to come," The limo will be by at 6:30 to pick you up! We'll eat at 7. We're having lasagna, is that alright?"

"Yea, that's fine," Anzu replied, startled that the all mighty and rich Kaiba's would be having something as mundane as lasagna for dinner. Or maybe they were just dummying it down for her.

"Alright, I'll see you then Anzu! Thanks!"

"No problem Mokuba. Bye."

"Bye!"

Mokuba hung up, and Anzu followed in procedure. She slammed the phone back down into its base, and leaned up against the wall. Slowly, she slid down, ignoring the tingling in her back. She put her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. Anzu had dinner tonight at seven. Dinner with Mokuba and Seto Kaiba.

"Really," she asked herself, trying to sound reassuring," How bad could it get?"

* * *

Alright! Well, that's all for this chapter, as I'm sure you can tell. I regret to inform you that my school year is starting up, and if last year was any indication as to how my work load will be this year, well, I won't have much spare time. I will try my hardest to update with all reasonable speed, but the chapters might be shorter. Also, I'm at somewhat of a miniature writer's block… I have a lot of ideas planned, but good advice and ideas from my betas and others has sent my mind and planning into a tizzy. I need to figure out what I'm going to do, and not do, and how to go about doing it! I promise that I won't make you wait for too long… however, just think of the wine concept! It takes a long time for a good thing! I don't think my chapter will take 30+ years, but you get the idea.

Next order of business. Now, this involves all of you good reviewers, so read up! Due to my own affections, and the many mentions of you, my reviewers, an idea has sprung into my mind. I'm sure that we're all aware of the major role that Ryou plays in this series, and I know that I, and many of you, love him! So many of you have said "I wish Ryou would just get together with Anzu"…"Ryou is the greatest"…"I never used to like Ryou until now…" and trust me, I feel the same way. So, I was thinking that, after I'm done with Like The Rain, I might write an alternative ending. It won't be an entirely new series, just a few chapters. It would start from one of the chapters of Like the Rain, and then branch off, still following some of the main events, but in the end, it would be Ryou who finally earned Anzu's love, not Kaiba. Like I said, it wouldn't be a new series, just a branching off. I won't come out with it until Like The Rain is over, but I would like to know what you all think about it. I want to make sure that the idea is worth mulling over and planning for, or if I should forget an alt. ending, and put my full efforts into another series (I will be coming out with another series, but that's the next order of business). Tell me in your reviews what you all think. Would you guys be willing to read an alternative ending if I wrote one?

Ok, next next order of business. I've been thinking that well, I only have one story! And while that's all well and good, Like The Rain is getting kind of lonely. I'm thinking about starting another series (It may be a while from now), that is based off of another fanfiction that I started writing 3 years ago and never finished. The original was Yami X OC X Seto, but the updated version would be Yami X Anzu X Seto, and would be based in Ancient Egypt. Yes, an Egyptian Arch series. Anyway, tell me what you guys would think of that!

Alright, finally, thanks to all of my AWESOME reviewers! I'm so happy, chapter 6 merited over 20 reviews! You guys made my days! Review replies later!

RR


	8. Dinner Present And Past

Wow! It's been over two weeks, and I am so sorry! Please forgive me for the length of time that it's taken to get Chapter Eight up – things have been so busy at school that I'm having trouble keeping my head on backwards! Or is it straight… ah whatever!

On a happier note…

YOU GUYS ROCK! Thank you so much for all of your amazing reviews and input! Dances around holding a '100+ reviews' Kaiba plushie. I really never expected to get this far, and I'm so glad that you all have liked the story so far. It really gives me the will to keep going!

Nii-san: I hope you like this chapter! There's lovely Isis bashing and only a limited reference to Ryou (snickers.)

(Sigh, I love Ryou…)

RR

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, Donald Trump, and I don't have magical powers. So there.

* * *

Like The Rain by Revolutionnaire Rouge 

Chapter Eight- Dinner Present… and Past

* * *

He opened the stove, and a blast of hot air issued forth from it and swept his bangs out of his eyes. The cheese on top of the lasagna bubbled nicely, and he could see that in some areas it was starting to turn a golden brown color. He grabbed an oven mitt from a nearby drawer and slid his covered hand under the hot pan. Carefully, he took the pan out of the oven and carried it over to the island in the middle of the kitchen. 

"Et…" he set it down on the island's surface," Parfait!"

Smiling slightly at his perfect creation, he turned back and opened the stove again, this time, bringing out a long baguette that had been baking, happily stuffed with parmesan cheese and garlic. He took a knife and cut the baguette into smaller pieces, listening as Mokuba talked to someone in the dining room. Seto couldn't make out what they were saying, but the voice that replied was quiet and female – he guessed that it was one of the new maids he had just hired. The newer maids still hadn't quite got the schedule down; they must have forgotten that on Monday nights, Seto took the day off early and made dinner for himself and Mokuba. He always made extra too, so that the cook wouldn't have to worry about making lunch for himself and Mokuba the next day. It was a system that worked for everyone – despite Seto's famous temper, and the rumors that he fired more people in a day than Donald Trump, he had had the same cook for the last five years.

Kaiba took off the apron that had been tied loosely around his waist, and slid the oven mitts on again. In one hand, he balanced the plate with the pieces of garlic bread, and in the other, the pan filled with still bubbling lasagna. He pushed through the swinging door that led from the kitchen to the dining room.

"Dinner is served!" he announced, looking around for Mokuba.

Seto stopped dead in his tracks. The voice that he had heard talking with Mokuba hadn't been a maid. No, not at all.

"Nii-san," Mokuba said happily, pretending to be ignorant of his brother's shocked face," We're going to need another plate."

He locked eyes with Anzu Mazaki, who was standing next to Mokuba, eyes wide, giving her the appearance of a deer caught by the headlights of a vehicle. Unfortunately for her, that vehicle was no PT Cruiser. Mokuba glanced at the two, and then left Anzu's side.

"Um, never mind, I'll go get it."

Mokuba bumped into Seto as he tried to squeeze past his brother and escape to the kitchen. Caught unawares, Seto was pitched off balance, and, with slow horror, he saw the pan of hot lasagna slide from his hands and fall. He saw Anzu lurch forward on instinct, her hands outstretched to catch it. She caught the pan at the bottom, and almost let it go as the heat seared her hands. However, Seto was back on track, he quickly took the pan from her and set it on the table, along with the bread.

"Saved," she sighed to herself. Anzu turned her hands palms up to look at them. Seto could see that they had turned an ugly red, but from her reaction, he guessed that they weren't bad – maybe not even burnt. However, as she looked up at him, he could see in her eyes that someone could have stuck her hand in a meat grinder and she probably wouldn't have reacted – she was too preoccupied by fear.

_Fear of me?_ he asked himself, smirking.

"What are you doing here Mazaki?" he asked, his voice monotone. Anzu Mazaki was the last person that he had wanted to see in his house at any time, especially dinner, but here she was. It was like he couldn't escape from her, and he was getting tired of it.

"I invited her over," Mokuba said as he brushed out of the kitchen and past Kaiba, carrying another plate and set of silver ware.

"Go put those back in the cupboard Mokuba, she won't be staying."

Mokuba ignored him and set the plate down at the chair opposite of Mokuba's – the one on the left side of Kaiba's own chair. He arranged the silver ware and then turned to his older brother.

"I invited her over," he said again, this time in a more stubborn tone. Kaiba sighed inwardly; Mokuba had taken that tone with him a few nights ago, and at that time, they had been fighting about Anzu Mazaki. What was it about that girl that made Mokuba so rebellious against him?

"Well," Kaiba said coldly," I'm uninviting her. You didn't even ask me before you invited her!"

Mokuba put his hands on his hips, and stared up at his brother defiantly.

"You can't do that Nii-san. She's my guest, and she's staying. You don't have to talk to her if you don't want to – I'm the one that asked her to come over. I just thought that maybe we should be a little gracious to the girl who saved my life!"

Kaiba blinked, taken aback. He was about to spit out a retort, but Anzu beat him to it.

"Look, I'm going to go," she said, her tone of voice unreadable," I don't want to cause any more trouble than I apparently already have, and personally, I don't like getting talked about as if I weren't here. Thank you for inviting me over Mokuba, but I can't stay."

Anzu ran a hand through her hair, turned away from the two brothers, and started walking towards the exit of the dining room. Mokuba glared at his brother and ran to catch up with her. He reached out and tugged on her arm – Seto couldn't bark out a warning fast enough – a little harder than he intended. Anzu let out a cry that startled only Mokuba, and she ripped her arm out of his grasp. Seto saw her lip tremble slightly, but she bit it, and held back another cry.

"OhmygoshAnzuwhathappeneddidI-" Mokuba asked in one breath, confused. Anzu turned back around and walked out of the room without another word. Seto guessed that if she had tried to open her mouth, she would have started crying, and he knew that Anzu would never want to lower herself that much in front of him again.

Seto sighed, and slid off his oven mitts.

"Mokuba, stay here," he commanded. Mokuba started to say something, but Seto cut him off with a glance.

"At least be nice to her," Seto heard Mokuba mutter as he walked out of the dining room.

He caught Anzu right before she reached the grand staircase. She hadn't heard him approach her; she let out a startled cry as he grabbed her by the uninjured arm. Anzu spun around, yanked her arm back, and glared at him.

"I was just going," she snapped," I thought that was what you wanted."

"It-" he paused for a moment. Was it? That had to be why he had ordered her out in the first place, but-," Let me see your arm."

Anzu cradled her injured arm against her chest, and glared at him again," Don't touch me."

Before she could react, he grabbed her arm, and slid up the long sleeve of her shirt.

"Do you know how many people have done that in the past 48 hours?" she grumbled. Seto ignored her, instead staring at her bandage.

"Who rewrapped your cut?" he asked harshly," A cat?"

Indeed, the bandage was a mess. Her arm was wrapped loosely with what looked like a long paper towel that had been secured with band-aids. Blood was oozing out from the cut and spreading along the make shift bandage.

"I did it myself," she said, scowling at him," with one hand. And we didn't have any big bandages."

"Jeez Anzu, you could have at least had Mai help you wrap it properly!"

She was silent at that comment, and when he looked into her eyes, he knew the truth.

"Who else haven't you told?"

Anzu looked away," Mai's the only one…"

"Who else haven't you told the truth?" he demanded.

Anzu was silent.

"That's what I thought. Come on. When Mokuba grabbed your arm, the cut must have reopened."

He grabbed her good arm again, and led her to the bathroom. He got the first aid kit, and then took her back to the dining room.

"I want Mokuba to see that I didn't kill you," he mumbled. He thought that he heard Anzu giggled, but he didn't turn back to look at her. As they reentered the dining room, Mokuba bombarded him with questions, but Seto silenced him with a glance. Mokuba silently followed the two into the kitchen.

Seto was relieved as Anzu climbed up onto the island herself – he hadn't been looking forward to arguing with her in front of Mokuba. However, he was surprised as she, without a word, undid her old bandage, and held her arm out slightly.

Mokuba watched with large eyes as Seto carefully cleaned Anzu's cut and rewrapped it tightly. Anzu didn't complain once during the entire time – Seto wondered if maybe she was as tired of fighting as he was.

"Did you watch how I did it?" Seto asked her as he packed away all of the supplies. Anzu nodded, and looked startled as Seto clicked the first aid kit closed and handed it to her.

"No, it's fine," she said," I can get one!"

"Don't argue Mazaki – just take it. We have plenty around the house, and you apparently have none. Next time, however, have someone help you with it. You'll need to clean and rewrap that cut at least twice a day to prevent infection – if you can't do it yourself, have your lover help you with it."

"We're not lovers!" she screamed, causing Seto to smirk. That was one joke that would never get old. Anzu looked away from a smirking Seto and a confused Mokuba, red faced. Seto held out his hand to help her down, but she snubbed him.

"I can get down myself," she muttered. Anzu slid off of the island, but bumped her back in the process. She doubled over and lost balance, and Seto caught her once again. Still in his arms, Anzu glared up at him fiercely. He shrugged, and sent her a smirk that he could tell made her furious.

"Déjà vu," he said cheekily, and Anzu pushed herself away from him and straightened. Mokuba observed with curious and confused eyes, but he didn't bother asking – he knew that he wouldn't get an answer.

"Don't tell me that I have to rewrap the cut on your back too," Seto said, reaching out slightly. Anzu slapped his hand away, and scowled.

"Don't touch me again," she snapped.

"Fine, whatever," Seto replied, wondering how in the world it had come to this," Just make sure you get some one to help you. Like I said before, your lov-"

"Just shut up!" Anzu screamed. Both Mokuba and Seto stared at her, eyes large. She was breathing heavily - part of Seto's mind flashed to the museum night - and scowling fiercely, fists clenched. However, despite her venomous words and angry gestures, Seto saw the truth in her crystal blue eyes. He felt surrounded by them, and could see how close she was to breaking down.

"I'm leaving," she said simply. Anzu set the first-aid kit on the island and walked out of the kitchen, once again making her way to the exit. Mokuba turned on his brother.

"Seto, what were you thinking?" Mokuba asked in a tone that chilled Seto.

"Anzu hasn't done anything to you but defend herself!" he continued," All you do is cut her down, make her feel like she's worthless; tease her and agitate her and antagonize her. What has Anzu Mazaki _ever_ done to you? I've seen her – in the beginning, she tried to be nice! She took all of your crap and still offered her friendship and kindness. And what did YOU do, big brother? You insulted her, her friends, and everything she believes in. So Anzu fought back, and now all you two do is bicker-"

"I-"

Mokuba sharply cut him off," Don't even try to tell me that she started it, Seto. I know you well, maybe even better than you do yourself. You started it, and you continued it. It's you that continues to pester Anzu. You're the reason that screams and yells and cries. And for everything that you've done to her, Anzu still came and saved me. She is still friendly, still treats me like a real person. Anzu's the only reason that you're not frantically trying to search the world to find me. If she was anything like you, Seto, she would hate me just because I'm related to you, but no – she still saved me. So Seto, answer me. What were you thinking?"

Seto took a deep breath. _She's probably already gone…_ he thought. He found it hard to stare into his younger brother's eyes, eyes that were so full of conviction and questions.

"As of the moment Mokuba," he answered, voice hard," I'm thinking that the lasagna has gotten cold."

Mokuba's jaw dropped, and he stared at Seto in disbelief. Seto sighed internally. There was only one thing he could do to appease his brother…

"I'll go get her."

Seto turned before he could see the expression on Mokuba's face, and exited the kitchen. He quickly made his way through the winding halls and down a set of stairs, to the entrance hall.

"Mr. Kaiba! Mr. Kaiba, Sir!"

A young maid, the one he had stationed to replace Helena, briskly approached him. The maid had a slightly worried expression on her face.

"What is it?" he snapped, not wanting to deal with whatever trivialities were bothering his employee. Despite his brusque reply, the maid did not flinch or draw away – a restrain that Seto took note of.

"Sir, only a few minutes ago, Miss Mazaki, Mr. Mokuba's guest I'm sure you know, passed by me while I was on my way down. She looked lost, so I asked her if she needed any assistance, and while she said no, I believe that she had gotten herself completely turned around. Miss Mazaki insisted that she knew where she was going, Sir, but when she passed, she was headed towards…" the maid paused for a moment, as if choosing her next words carefully," She was headed towards his room."

Kaiba's face twisted into pure fury… _Why would she?... How DARE she!_

"I'm sure she didn't intend to Sir," the maid said quickly, reading the volatile expression on his face. Kaiba growled a response, his mounting anger too great for him to be polite. The maid nodded, waited a moment, and then padded away, understanding her dismissal. As soon as she had exited the entrance hall, Kaiba let out a string of long curses. _I have to stop her-_

He vaulted up the stairs, cursing Anzu in every way possible. Kaiba stormed down the halls, the occasional maid quickly scurrying out of his way. Anyone who had worked at the Kaiba Mansion long enough knew that Seto rarely ever got angry – but when he did, to stay out of his way as respectfully as possible. And now, Kaiba was more than angry – he was livid.

"That woman," he muttered between clenched teeth," barges into my home, turns my own brother against me, and now…and now…"

Balling his hands into tight fists, Kaiba continued down the halls, and as he did so, the number of maids he crossed became less frequent, and eventually just stopped. The hall got darker – not for the lack of adequate lighting, but because of the layers of untouched dirt and grime that coated the walls and decorations around him. The dust didn't bother him though, because Seto was too busy just trying to push away the dark feelings and memories that poisoned this hall. The entire hall dwelled upon him, waiting for the perfect moment when his back was turned to collapse down upon him and smother him in the black emotions of hate.

Seto stopped. He listened carefully, and then sped up as he heard light footsteps. Seto neared a turn in the hall, and the footsteps got slightly louder. Seto turned the corner.

Here he was in the darkest section of the hall – it stretched on for about a hundred yards and then stopped. The hall was dark, almost black, covered with years of hate and regret. Seto was about to turn and go back, even if it meant leaving Anzu to wander the mansion for eternity. He heard the high pitched squeal of a door that hadn't been opened in a number of years, and looked to the end of the hall just in time to see an arm clad in a long sleeve disappear into a room.

"Of course…" he muttered angrily," She had to choose that room…"

Quickly, Seto made his way to the door that Anzu had just passed through. She had left the door slightly ajar so that a thin strip of light could pierce the shadows of the room. Seto pushed the door open a little more, and slid inside. He took a deep breath.

It only took a few moments for his eyes to get adjusted. The little bit of luminosity that filtered from the hallway did almost nothing to brighten the room, but it didn't matter – he knew every feature of the room, every crevice, nook, and cranny. From where Seto stood, he could see Anzu's back – lighter shade of black in the almost pitch dark room. She was moving slowly around the room. Seto could hear her occasionally brush or bump up against the furniture in the room. Then, the sound stopped. In the dim lighting, Seto could see that Anzu's head was cocked to the right, as if staring at something in confusion.

Seto felt around the area near the door.

Anzu let out a small shriek, and threw a hand up to the level of her eyes to block out the light that had exploded into the room. She spun around, shading her eyes, and stared at Seto, who still stood next to the door. Slowly, she lowered the hand from her above her eyes and moved it to her chest, trying to calm her rapid breath.

"Sheesh…" she said scowling," Don't do that. I think you took about ten years off my life."

Seto ignored her comment – he was too busy trying to get his rage under control.

"What are you doing here?" he asked his voice like a dagger. Seto saw that Anzu's face paled slightly at his words.

"I-"

Seto glared at the girl, trying to eliminate any feelings of sympathy as she stared up at him.

"You realize that you're even farther from the exit now than you had been when you left the dining room, don't you? I can't believe you Mazaki! What were you thinking," his voice gave way to mounting anger," Just traipsing around my house and going wherever you please! You have no right to be here!"

Anzu looked as if she wanted to disappear. She turned her eyes to his, and when then locked, he could see her mixed confusion and resentment. Under his fierce gaze, her eyes lost their intensity, until she seemed almost dazed.

"I… got lost," she finally said, shamefacedly. Seto let out a cruel bark of laughter, and the girl turned from pale faced to red.

"Serves you right," he sneered," I told you that you would get lost. I should have just left you to wander and rot."

Anzu's jaw dropped – she looked genuinely shocked and hurt," Wh-" she stopped, and just stared at him, stunned," I-"

Seto wondered if maybe he had crossed the line. If maybe he had gone too far. The look on her face…

"You shouldn't be here," Seto said coldly, glaring past her to the humongous portrait that hung on the opposite wall. Anzu followed his gaze, and Seto realized that it was the picture that she had been staring as when he had first entered. Seto took a few steps forward, until he was even with Anzu. He was so absorbed in the picture that he didn't even notice as Anzu took a few steps away, throwing him a wary glance. There was a moment of silence as they stared at the portrait – Anzu emanated cold confusion, Kaiba, smoldering fury.

"Who is he?" Anzu asked, her voice a shaky whisper.

Seto continued to stare at the picture, weighing his options. The commanding eyes of the person in the portrait froze his insides. Cold, accusing eyes that Seto had been avoiding for years.

Why should he tell her?

What were the risks of resurrecting the old demons of the past? Why bring that up again, when he had been fighting it for years?

Should he tell her, so as to make up for the cruelty of his previous statements?

_She has no right to know. How dare she ask! How dare Anzu bring this n-_

"Kaiba?"

Anzu's worried inquiry broke him away from his momentary lapse. Something in her blue gaze made him wonder – how could someone that he had treated so horribly still manage to sound concerned for him?

"His name was Gozaburo Kaiba."

Every part of his mind was screaming at him," _WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"_

Anzu nodded slowly and turned back to the dominating picture. The man depicted stared back, his glare not so different from that of Seto.

"He looks nothing like you," Anzu whispered.

Seto scowled, but was at least relieved that she didn't say they looked alike – many had done that in the past and suffered greatly for it.

"He wouldn't," Seto replied," He was my stepfather."

"Oh," Anzu simply replied," So your parents are divorced?"

He should have been furious with her. He really should have. It had seemed as though the entire world knew his past, but here Anzu was, questioning, bringing everything back. He remembered back to when Anzu had tried to compare her parents to Gozaburo – she had said "your father" then, but he hadn't corrected it. He had assumed that she knew. Instead of feeling furious, he felt something inside smother the angry flame that had reared up previously.

She had ignited previously quenched fires, and just as quickly, bedded them back down again.

For the first time in a long time, Seto felt his mind empty out.

"No Anzu," he said flatly," My parents are dead."

The little voice that had been screaming in the back of his head had given up. Anzu blinked, and her clear blue eyes met his own clouded orbs. He could read the sympathy in her eyes. Seto stood there, beneath the judging gaze of his previous repressor, and, without thinking, spilled everything.

"I was born as Seto Natachi, my parents were Ashiya and Makoto. My father was a college professor, and my mother designed computer programs. When I was five years old, Mokuba was born – my mother died in childbirth. My father tried his best to raise the two of us without her, but it was hard. He would always work long hours to provide for all three of us, and many times, when he couldn't find anyone to watch us, he would bring us to his classes with him."

Seto paused for a moment. Anzu was just standing there, staring up at him, eyes and ears absorbing everything. He didn't stop long enough to ponder what he was doing.

"Three years after my mother died, my father died in a car accident. He had been spending too much time at the college working and had worn himself out. He fell asleep at the wheel, and crashed into a vehicle going to opposite direction."

Anzu's eyes widened.

"Mokuba and I were parentless. For a year, we were passed around from family member to family member – treated like an extra nuisance while everyone tried to figure out what to do with the inheritance that my parents left behind. Although their will entitled the money to me and Mokuba, they were somehow able to discover a loophole, and the family greedily took all of my parents' well earned livings, leaving myself and Mokuba broke. The "family" eventually decided that we were too cumbersome of a task, so they took Mokuba and I to an orphanage a few towns over, saying that they couldn't afford to take care of us. They just wanted us out of the way. Mokuba was too young to remember any of that.

So, we were sent to the orphanage, where Mokuba and I spent the next year and a half of our lives miserable. I wanted nothing more than to get Mokuba and I out of that miserable Hell-hole they called an orphanage. I wanted the best there was for Mokuba, and I would do anything to get it.

That opportunity came with Gozaburo Kaiba. I was ten, Mokuba was seven. I had heard from one of the older children that Gozaburo Kaiba was coming to donate money to the orphanage. I knew from the news that he was a rich, rich man, and that immediately piqued my interest. I also knew that he was a chess advocate – something that I happened to be particularly good at. I studied and practiced my chess skills until the day that he arrived at the orphanage. I challenged him to a game of chess, making the bet that, if I beat him, he would adopt Mokuba and I.

That day, I became Seto Kaiba."

"Kaiba, I-" Anzu started, but she was almost speechless. Seto ignored her – he wasn't finished.

"Gozaburo adopted me, but reluctantly. He trained me, tested me, and challenged me to be better than the best. I was going to be the heir to Kaiba Corporation, and it was my job to be perfect."

Without realizing it, Seto sighed, and ran a hand through his hair.

"And now we come to the more widely known information. Gozaburo pushed me, almost tortured me to be a ruthless business person. There was no consideration for what I might have ever wanted – I had on path set before me, and there was no way to escape it, no way to turn around," he said bitterly.

"The one thing that he underestimated in me was how much that he had taught me about the business world. It took me five years. It took me five years, but I pulled the company right out from underneath his feet. I gained possession of 51 percentof the company – just enough to have major control. Gozaburo was… so shocked and betrayed… that he had a heart attack."

Seto took a deep breath.

"Kaiba, I- I'm so sorry," Anzu breathed," I just don't know what to say… Thank you for telling me, I feel honored."

_Thank you for telling me… Thank you for telling me…_

"Damn!" he shouted, and he turned furious eyes to Anzu. The girl, startled, shrunk back from the wild fire glare.

He had revealed everything to her. His past. She knew his past – she knew more than almost anyone else. And he hated her! He had mindlessly started rambling about his past, just as she had rambled on about her crush on Yami and hatred of Isis. How-

"Kaiba…" Anzu said, in almost a whisper," I know I said this before, but, I can kind of relate to your past."

Kaiba's eyes locked on hers.

"We-well," she stammered," It's just that, for a lot of your life, you haven't had parents… you've had to live in hard situations and overcome…"

"You," he said pointedly," know nothing. There is nothing similar in the lives that we've lived." He was infuriated with both her and himself that he had said so much.

"In fact," he added," They're completely different! You-you have parents! You've lived your entire life in a comfortable home, with someone to take care of you and tell you everything is alright! You've never had to sleep in a cot with you younger brother in a cramped room that holds fourteen other boys! You've never had to endure the beatings and berating of a crazy man who was blinded by greed and hatred! You haven't had to rise from the lowest of lows to get to where you are now – you've always been there, and have never had to work for it! Don't you dare try to compare!"

Seto watched Anzu's reaction. Instead of shrinking away and look afraid, she scowled – her first act of rebellion in a while. He had seen her angry before, and knew that she was angry now. Seto couldn't imagine why – HE was the one whose life had been intruded upon. She should feel guilty! But no, she just stared defiantly, and replied to his accusations.

"You're right Kaiba," she said, her voice shaking with fury," There are quite a few differences in between our families. Your parents tried their hardest to take care of you. Your father went on for three years after the loss of your mother! At least your parents LOVED you before they died!" she was screaming now, the sudden swing of mood having taken Seto by surprise," My parents try to deny my existence! They've never been present in my life, they've never been important! They never loved me, or even liked me. I was just a silly little girl who would become a business person, just like them. I'm someone who's easy to neglect! They never cared about what I might have wanted, only about what they wanted for me." Anzu clenched her fists, and Seto was sure that she was going to punch him this time.

"At least you had LOVE!" she yelled. Her voice echoed through the large room. Anzu looked all around, and finally focused on the domineering picture of Gozaburo Kaiba," At least you had a home with things. At least you had you brother. You didn't have to live alone, wondering if you were worthy of your parent's love! Your parents LOVED YOU!" Anzu screamed. She stopped, and glared at him. Seto hadn't been expecting an out burst, but there were many things happening recently that he hadn't been expecting.

For Anzu Mazaki to scream to wildly at him, with tears in her eyes, wasn't one of them.

However, it didn't surprise him that she stormed out.

* * *

This time, Anzu found the right way out. It wasn't that hard once she thought about it – she was able to make it to the entrance even when almost blinded with tears. She found that all of the halls and stairs ended up leading to the same place, out. It said a lot about Kaiba's guest policy. 

She really hadn't been trying to make him angry. In fact, that was the last thing she had wanted.

"Stupid, stupid Anzu!" she hissed to herself, resisting the urge to bang her head on the wall," You should have known better than to try and compare yourself to Kaiba! Even if there are similarities, he would never see them!"

At the same time, she felt more than a little hurt – when Kaiba had been telling her that she didn't know about how his life had been, when he had went on about having someone to take care of her and tell her everything was alright, she got a bitter taste in her mouth. Contrary to what Kaiba had said, Anzu hadn't lived that life. She had tried to explain – she was unwanted by her parents, but when they did manage a stray thought in her direction, it was about how much they hated her own dreams, and how much they wanted hr to conform to their own goals. For years, Anzu hadn't had anyone. The closest thing that she had ever had to a family was her friends.

And now.

And now, they were being torn apart. They might not know, but Anzu could tell. She could see herself, slowing splitting from them, being shunned, the wedge of lies and secrets driving deeper into the bond that she had formed with her friends over the years. For the first time in her life, she had lied to Ryou, her best friend. And what had it been over?

Seto Kaiba.

Seto Kaiba was the reason. He was the problem, and the only solution that Anzu could think of was to cut him out of her life as quickly as he had entered it.

Anzu rushed down the stairs, rushed past a surprised looking maid, and rushed out of the door.

…

Mokuba was worried.

He had seen Anzu charging down the stairs, and had seen her glazed eyes, which only meant one thing. His brother had really screwed up.

Mokuba cursed under his breath – a trait that he had secretly picked up from Seto – and backtracked to the kitchen, the gears in his mind creaking with overexertion. He had been trying to figure things out, but his brother kept messing up. Now, there was no way th-

Mokuba's thoughts were whisked away with the jarring ring of the hall telephone. Mokuba walked over to the side table, picked up the cordless phone and pushed the "On" button.

"Kaiba Residence," he said politely. Very few people had the Kaiba's personal home phone number, so who ever it was, Mokuba assumed must be relatively important.

"_Mokuba, I need to speak to Seto."_

Mokuba scowled, and mentally sighed. The voice on the other end was the last person he wanted to hear right then.

"Hello to you too, Isis," he said, doing nothing to keep the bitter sarcasm out of his voice.

"_Is Seto there?"_ the Egyptian on the other end asked.

"Yes."

Mokuba had picked up the pen that rest next to the phone base, and was doodling on the message pad. He had drawn a stick figure picture of Isis getting smushed by a giant pyramid. He did his best not to laugh sadistically as he continued to draw more Anti-Isis pictures.

"_Well, can I talk to him? I called his cell phone a while ago, but it was off, which is strange for Seto and was wondering…"_

Mokuba stopped paying attention as the woman continued to ramble on. He honestly didn't see why his brother bothered dating Isis – not only was she older, but she was annoying, clingy, and always talking about Seto's "Ancient Egyptian Destiny." The only time that she was even vaguely decent to Mokuba was when she wanted him to do something for her, or when she was in front of Seto. Otherwise, she was just rude and stuck up.

"_Mokuba?"_

Mokuba sneered and fiercely scribbled out his drawings," Yea?"

Isis sighed, her disgust evident.

_-Right back at ya' lady-'_Mokuba thought, glaring his disgust through the phone line to the woman on the other end.

"_I'd like to talk to Seto."_

"He's busy Isis."

"_Doing what?"_

"Work, like he always does."

"_Well then let me speak with him!"_

"He's busy!" Mokuba exclaimed, not really knowing or caring if Seto was busy or not. In his opinion, the less his brother talked to The Witch, the better.

"_But I'm his girlfriend!"_

Mokuba scowled," Like I've said twice already, Seto is really busy. He can't come to the phone right now, but I'll tell him you called" _When pigs fly,_ he added silently.

"_But-"_

Mokuba hung up the phone. He didn't care if she did talk to Seto, and if she told him about how rude Mokuba had been – Seto had always believed Mokuba over anyone else. Mokuba just couldn't stand listening to Isis' voice anymore.

He crumpled up the piece of paper that he had drawn on, and tossed it in the nearest wastebasket, wishing that it had been the real Isis and not some doodles. Oh well, one could dream.

Mokuba pushed open his door, and flopped down on his bed, staring at his surroundings. On the dresser opposite of his bed was a picture of himself and Seto, when Seto was about seven and Mokuba was four. The two of them were sitting on the edge of a big stone fountain – Mokuba was soaking wet, and the bottom of Seto's jeans were drenched. Both of them were smiling happily, Seto looked as though he had been caught in mid laugh. Mokuba hadn't seen Seto laugh so openly in years.

There was no way that Mokuba was letting Isis get to Seto.

Mokuba rolled onto his stomach and grabbed his cell phone off of the nightstand. He flipped up the thin cover of the small blue device and began to scroll down his address book. Seto had made Anzu cry, which meant that Mokuba was going to have to backtrack and start over again. He had lost some serious ground tonight, and it would take a miracle to make it back up. Fortunately, Mokuba was good with that kind of stuff. He pressed the "Send" button, and listened to the ring on the other end.

"_Hey Babe," _a husky voice said as the person on the other end picked up," _You comin' over tonight?"_

Mokuba laughed," Hey Becky, Sorry but I can't. Maybe another night?" he joked. Mokuba heard Rebecca laugh on the other end.

"_Alright, I can manage,"_ she replied, her voice back to its normal, perky tone," _So what's going on?"_

Mokuba and Rebecca chatted casually for a while. He couldn't help but think about how much Rebecca had changed since they had first met two years ago at Kaiba Land. Back then, she had been a little annoying brat who clung onto her "Teddy" and believed she was the smartest human being on earth. Now, she acted more mature, maybe even older than her true age, had dumped the stuffed toy, and attracted a boyfriend. Mokuba was still pretty sure that she thought she was a genius, but she was a little more humble about it since she and him had matched wits. Their friendship had started out rocky, involving Rebecca yelling at him for not understanding anything, and Mokuba screaming that she should grow up and act her age. However, over time, both of them had grown up, established a social and mental relationship, and now a personal one. The only thing that stood in their way was Rebecca's heavy college schedule. And the fact that Seto still didn't know that they were more than just good friends.

"I just got off the phone with the Wicked Witch of the Egyptian Waste," Mokuba said with a sigh," She wanted to talk to Seto."

"_Oh," _Rebecca said – she knew how Mokuba felt about Isis,"_ What did you do?"_

Mokuba shrugged, even though he knew his girlfriend couldn't see him," I hung up on her."

Rebecca burst out laughing," _Serves her right! So how's Operation: Lonely Hearts, going?"_

"Worse than it had been before. I invited Anzu over to dinner, just like we had planned, but something happened between them, and Anzu ended up storming out, crying. I just don't know what the problem is with Seto!'

"_Hmm…" _Rebecca, who was the co-conspirator of the operation, mulled over what Mokuba had said," _I just don't know what to do…Plan B and C won't work because I'm guessing that, if Seto made Anzu cry, she probably hates his guts now."_

"Yea, that's what I was thinking. I haven't seen my brother in a while, but I seriously doubt that he's going to be walking her home from ballet for a while…"

The two teens sat in silence, both thinking about what to do next.

"_We just… need to think of someway to get them around each other again…"_

Mokuba blinked, processing her words, and suddenly, his gears started grinding together a little faster. They were starting to gain speed as a thought came to his head…

"Rebecca?" he asked.

"_Yes Mokuba?"_

"You still dance, right?"

* * *

Oh la la! A cliffie! 

Anyway, a few notes…

You are just going to have to assume that Anzu never knew about Seto's past before, and maybe even pretend that the whole Noah thing didn't happen. Yes, Battle City occurred. No, it's most likely the Noah Arch didn't. Also, while I know Kaiba and Mokuba's ages, I've tweaked things slightly so that it will fit in to the story!

I pretty much made up everything about Kaiba's parents.

Mokuba hates Isis, and for her, the feeling is pretty much mutual.

Poor Anzu.

Sorry, I just had to include some stray thoughts. Anyway! I again apologize for such the delay in the update, school had been a time killer. I don't really have that much spare time, and only manage to get about five hours of sleep per night, not including the 45 minutes or so of sleep that I can sometimes get on the bus. I'm taking two AP classes, and a second foreign language (Deutsche!). My capacity for forming full sentences is occasionally limited Also, I'd been having a bit of a creativity fart, which hopefully the finishing of this chapter eliminated.

Ah, now I remember what I was going to say. Many of you had commented on how unusually long the rainy season has been. I wanted to point out to those who didn't realize (Nii-san…) that in all actuality, this story has been occurring over a short period of time. I did the math, and, it's only been about six days. Don't panic on me, I swear it's true. There was a bit of a discrepancy in the fact that, somehow, I completely lost Sunday, so we're just going to have to assume that Anzu slept a reallllyyyyy long time. This is how it breaks down.

Chapter 1: Wednesday (Day 1)

Chapter 2: Thursday (Day 2)

Chapter 3: Friday Morning/Afternoon (Day 3)

Chapter 4: Friday Night (Day 3)

Chapter 5: Saturday Morning/Afternoon (Day 4)

Chapter 6: Saturday Afternoon/Early Evening (Day 4)

Chapter 7: Saturday Evening, Sunday (Honestly, I forgot to put Sunday in there, so just pretend), Monday Morning/Afternoon (Days 4,5, and 6)

Chapter 8: Monday Evening (Day 6)

See? It really hasn't been that long. Where I live, when summer comes around, it can rain at least once everyday for weeks. Which is nice, because that means I have more opportunities for inspiration. It's thundering now as I type.

WAH!

Thank you so much for all of the WONDERFUL reviews! I've heard that there is a new policy on replying to reviews, so until I find out more, I'm going to forgo the review replies. However, that does not mean that I've forgotten all of you awesome readers and reviewers! You guys have helped keep this story alive!

100+ Rocks!

I'm honestly not going to give a set date for the next update. Please bear with me everyone, things should get better as I get back into the swing of things. I hope.

Please review, and stay tuned for the next action packed romancified chapter of Like The Rain!

Luffles,

RR


	9. Dance Lessons

Hey everyone, the Rouge has returned! I'm so sorry that it took so long to update, school has been a beast. Anyway, I'm sure that you're all ready to start reading, so I won't take up much of your time.

My prayers go out to all of those in coastal Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama who were affected and displaced by Hurricane Katrina. I've lived through a lot of hurricanes and have seen what they can do, but have never encountered one so intense or devastating. My family moved only a few months before Andrew hit, and we've managed to make it through many other storms. I am sure that some of our own authors and readers have been affected by Katrina – for those that have, while you might not be able to read this, I hope you're able to come back soon, and safely. We miss you.

Nii-san: To forget you would be sin. Or trouble. Anyway, here it is, I've updated. Good things come to those that wait. Remember that. Oh, and I made it eeexxttrrraa along. Just the way you like it.

* * *

Like the Rain, By Revolutionnaire Rouge

Chapter Nine – Dance Lessons

* * *

Mokuba padded quickly through the halls of the Kaiba Mansion, the sick feeling of worry penetrating his gut. His anxiety had grown with each step, having started from when he found out Anzu had been coming from – and where his brother was. The feeling of nervousness had nothing to do with the lone hallway that surrounded him – the paint on the walls was different from the rest of the mansion, and it was a little dusty, but beyond that, it was a hallway.

Mokuba pushed open the door at the end of the hall. A hallway was a hallway as a room was a room. The sound of the driving rain that pounded on the roof was louder in the room that it had been out in the hallway. Mokuba hoped that Anzu had gotten home alright, or at least relatively dry.

The light in the room was on. Seto sat in a plush chair with his back to Mokuba and the door. Mokuba saw that his brother made no sign of recognizing his entrance - Seto was too fixated on the large portrait that hung in front of him. All of Mokuba's fears were confirmed.

Slowly, Mokuba crept to the chair that Seto sat in, allowing himself to see his older brother in full view. His face was paler than normal, but as blank as a slate that had been wiped clean, and his eyes were as expansive, dark, and distant as the starless night sky. The only sign that Mokuba could see of the conflict he knew was distressing his brother was his hands- they clutched the leather arms of the chair so tightly that Mokuba feared they would never let go.

He thought about stirring his brother from whatever painful reverie he seemed to be entangled in, but quickly reconsidered. Even though he had never fully understood the gravity of demons that plagued his brother for the past seven years of his life, Mokuba had been able to gather enough to know that Seto needed to face and fight them in order to be free. A weak hope surfaced in Mokuba's heart and mind – maybe his brother was fighting them right now. Maybe he would win.

Mokuba sat down in a chair besides Seto. He focused on the same thing his brother was – the looming portrait of their step father, Gozaburo Kaiba. A jolt of cold fear streaked through Mokuba's body – it was all he could do not to shiver. He couldn't even begin to imagine how his brother was feeling, how seeing their provider and captor again affected him. As the adopted heir to Kaiba Corp., Seto had been through living hell many times over. All because of a man who now existed only in portrait and memory. That's all he was – a memory. One that Mokuba was sure plagued his brother every day.

"Mokuba?"

The voice startled Mokuba out of his thoughts; it crackled with an age and pain that he had only heard amongst the elderly. He turned to his brother, who, at seventeen, already had the soul of an old man.

"Yes, nii-san?"

Seto stared at him with haunted eyes. They were still dark and distant – Mokuba got the impression that he was not being looked at but rather looked through.

"Has Anzu already left?"

Mokuba nodded, and bit his lip. He could feel questions and chastisement bubbling up from within him, but he kept it down. To Mokuba, it seemed, Seto already had enough on his mind; he didn't need Mokuba ragging on him about Anzu on top of everything else. But that would come soon enough. Seto sighed and rested his forehead in his hands, an air of defeat thickening in the room. It was one of those rare moments in which his brother looked human. For a few seconds, the only sound was the still driving rain pounding on the roof.

Seto lifted his head up, and looked at the portrait one last time. He stood up.

"I'm going for a walk."

* * *

"Ah, Miss Mazaki, it's good to see you back in class, on task, and learning!"

Anzu forced a smile on her face as Mr. Rupp dropped a stack of papers in her arms. They bent slightly – partially under the weight of the papers but mostly due to the long cut that lay hidden underneath her overly pink school jacket. Despite the fact that Kaiba had rewrapped it the night before, the cut still sent hot flames of pain up her arm whenever she so much as thought about moving it. Anzu's back didn't hurt as badly as her arm, but Anzu was partially convinced that that was because her back had hurt so much that the nerves eventually just gave up. Now, her back was just numb. She turned and made her way back to her desk, her smile twitching slightly and then finally dropping. At the moment, Anzu was too tired and in too much pain to deal with illusions.

Anzu was beginning to realize what a lack of sleep could do to a body. Ever since the rainy season had kicked into full gear, she had had trouble clinging onto what hours of sleep she could manage. It wasn't until she had gotten attacked that Anzu had been able to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep, the consequences of that being she wasn't able to sleep a wink once she got home from the Kaiba Mansion. Today, she was tired, slow witted, and foul tempered. Anzu had, however, made a promise to herself to act as if everything were perfectly normal – it was just easier that way.

"Thank goodness you're here!"

At the sound of a blessedly familiar voice, Anzu turned and slapped her smile on again. Ryou had just strolled into the classroom, his briefcase slung over his shoulder and his jacket unbuttoned. Immediately, she noticed that Ryou's hair was even messier that normal, and that he still looked somewhat dazed and foggy, as if he had just woken up.

"What happened?" she asked, skipping the formalities.

Ryou chuckled and sat down in his desk," Why hello to you too, Anzu. It's lovely to see you back in school, and I'm doing fine, thank you."

Anzu rolled her eyes, a real, albeit small, smile crossing her features. Yes, it was good to be back. Before she could say another word, Yami walked in the classroom, looking less than happy.

_Scratch that whole…"it's good to be back thing…."_ Anzu thought, seeing the storm that was brewing in her… friend's eyes. _That's right. Friend._

"I have something important to tell you at lunch," Ryou whispered to her, glancing at Yami slightly. Anzu raised a single eyebrow, and couldn't help but think back… _Where have I heard a phrase like that before…?_

Yami sat down on Anzu's other side, with a scowl.

_Oh yea,_ she thought, finding herself unable to stop being cynical, _from him._

"Hi Yami!" Anzu said cheerfully, even thought she felt as if her intestines were slowly being ripped out and stomped on. Ryou uttered a more formal but definitely less enthusiastic greeting. Yami nodded slightly, the mark of an agitated recognition. He tapped his fingers on his desk for a second, before unzipping his backpack and restlessly searching through it. After a few moments of digging through his bag, Yami managed to pull out his English binder, his textbook, and a mechanical pencil. His fingers raced across the surface of the desk again, and suddenly Yami let out a sigh of frustration.

"Good morning Anzu," he said dourly. Without waiting for her to respond, he spoke again," Did you know Shizuka and Marik are going out now?"

Ryou stopped pretending and instead allowed himself to focus intently on the conversation. Anzu bit her lip slightly. How could she go about this? She knew that Yami wouldn't be pleased with Marik and Shizuka dating… Anzu wished now that she had told Shizuka to wait for a whle to start dating. Yami looked upset, no, more than upset – angry.

"Well…" Anzu started, her mind slowly plodding forward, trying to think of something reasonable to say that would get them in the least amount of trouble possible," I had kind of gotten the feeling that… maybe they possibly had a slight interest in each other…" _There ya go Anz', lots of vague words will do it…_

"Hmph." Yami crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat a bit," I don't know, I just don't like it…"

"Why not?" Anzu asked, widening her eyes a little to give herself the appearance of innocence, even thought she was pretty sure that she already knew.

"Well, it's just that… after Battle City… can we really trust him…?"

Anzu blinked. She hadn't expected Yami to be so open about it. However, he looked away from her slightly as she spoke, as if he believed that she wouldn't be able to see how unsure he really was. Suddenly, a thought came to mind… one that she just couldn't resist.

"Oh, I don't know Yami, I think that we should give it a chance, they might be good for each other." Yami knitted his brows, but didn't say anything. "Besides, if you don't think that we can't fully trust Marik, than I guess that means we can't fully trust Isis either."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ryou in his desk, trying hard not to laugh and failing miserably. Yami's face sunk, looking much like a chastised child.

"You…" he started, fighting for words. Anzu blinked and gave him a look of innocent interest.

"You know what I mean!" he finally spat out. He then turned away from Anzu, slammed open his textbook, and started reading. Anzu spun around in her seat to face Ryou, and winced as her back twinged painfully. Ryou was half out of his seat, doubled over, laughing silently. Anzu smiled, her own body starting to shake slightly in laughter. This time, icy numbness spread through the rest of her back. Anzu thanked God that Ryou didn't notice the brief look of pain that crossed her face. He was too busy trying to get himself under control.

"Get out of the aisle Bakura. Some people are trying to get to their desks."

Ryou blinked, and looked up, but Anzu had already seen, and was now studying her stack of worksheets very intently. Ryou straightened in his seat and allowed Seto Kaiba to pass and sit in his own desk. Cautiously, Anzu glanced back at Kaiba, and then quickly looked away again. He was staring at her, unabashedly.

"Well," Ryou muttered, laying his head on the desk and looking at her," Some people are in a pissy mood today."

Anzu laughed, not even trying to be discrete. Ryou had hit the nail on the head. From behind them, there was the sound of a text book being slammed onto a desk and pages being flipped loudly. Anzu and Ryou burst out into another fit of laughter. After a few minutes, they calmed down, only a few chuckles escaping as Ryou went over the work that Anzu had missed from the day before.

* * *

For Ryou, the first part of the day couldn't have been longer. English stretched on for what seemed like millennia, followed by Biology III, which involved a difficult and time consuming lab. The only advantage to that was that he and Anzu had been able to "accidentally" spill fresh cat innards all over Seto Kaiba's lab data and, of course, Seto Kaiba himself. The whole class, which consisted of juniors, seniors, and one sophomore, burst out into applause as Kaiba stormed out. Anzu and Ryou took a bow, and the teacher, while trying to hold back her own laughter, mildly chastised them. It was worth it, and they got an A+ on the lab.

It was good to have Anzu back.

Ryou had been worried for Anzu, for quite a while. Of course, his worry had kicked into high gear when he and Anzu had found out that Isis had come back to town. But his worry had started much before that – maybe about the beginning of the rainy season. Ryou had quickly noticed the small bags forming under her eyes, and her less enthusiastic than usual personality. Nowadays, the only time that he ever saw her back to her usual self was when she was arguing with Kaiba.

That was another concern, Kaiba. He seemed to be around a lot more lately. It was as if he was almost hovering over Anzu, like a dark rain cloud. That night at the museum, when he had come to pick her up, Kaiba had been there. And then, the day after that… when Kaiba had come over to Anzu's apartment to drop off her umbrella… what had he said?

"_She left it on the sidewalk yesterday, when we were… together…"_

And then, Kaiba had made the mention of knowing about Anzu's problems with Yami. How did he know? Was Ryou's nightmare coming true? Were Kaiba and Anzu getting… closer? He remembered that nightmare he had had the morning after the museum fiasco.

Seto Kaiba didn't deserve to be with Anzu.

"_Look lover boy, I'm not disagreeing with you. Anzu is a beautiful, considerate person, even when she is angry, which believe it or not, she gets often. Contrary to what you might believe, I didn't come here to raise Cain and insult Mazaki. I just came here to return her dumb umbrella…"_

"Ryou?"

Ryou looked up from History text book that he had lost focus on a long time ago. His eyes met Anzu's beautiful crystal blue eyes, filled with joy, concern and…something else. Ryou shook his head slightly, clearing his head of his previous thoughts.

"Sorry Anz', I was just caught up in my reading." He pointed to his book, as if trying to prove what he was saying. Anzu rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Yea right, because the reading is absolutely enthralling. Come on Ryou, the lunch bell rang like, two minutes ago."

"Oh…" Ryou muttered sheepishly. Anzu broke out into a fit of laughter, her voice striking a chord deep inside of him. She offered him a hand, which he gladly took, and helped him up out of his desk. He held on for just a moment longer, and then let go and gathered his books, praying that Anzu hadn't noticed his delay in letting go. She hadn't, or if she had, didn't make any mention of it.

"Let's go!" Anzu said," I'm starving!" she put a hand on her stomach and she raised her eyes to the ceiling, eyelashes fluttering," I didn't have anything to eat this morning, because you weren't there to fix me cereal!"

Ryou rolled his eyes," Ah yes, Lord forbid I don't come over and slave in your kitchen to prepare your meals!" _…I'd be your slave any day…_ Ryou's eyes widened slightly, and he shook his head again to clear himself of _that _thought.

They both laughed, and walked out of the classroom. Anzu's stomach grumbled loudly, and they burst out into another fit of laughter.

"Oh, by the way Ryou," Anzu said, sounding serious," I hope you brought enough food for the both of us."

"What?" Ryou exclaimed," No way! You're not mooching any food off of me!"

Anzu pouted and widened her eyes," But _Ryyooouuuu_" she whined, dragging out his name pathetically," I'm _hhhhuuuuunnngggrrrrryyyyy!"_

Ryou snorted," Well too bad," he teased," You're just going to have to get a school lunch!"

"NOOOOOO!" Anzu shouted dramatically, raising her hands to the sky. The few people remaining in the hall stared at her strangely," Not the school lunch!" She crossed her arms and pouted again," Well fine then. I'll just become anorexic."

He shrugged," Alright. Suit yourself." He started walking down the hall towards the double doors that led to the courtyard.

"Ryyyooouuuuu!" Anzu exclaimed. He heard footsteps running down the hall, and let out a short gasp of surprise as she grabbed his arm and clung onto it. They walked down the hall together, Anzu attached to his arm and complaining, and Ryou smiling, quite content.

Just as they reached the double doors, they flew open, and Kaiba stormed through. He glanced towards Ryou and Anzu, then did a double take. Anzu quickly let go of Ryou's arm, and scowled at Kaiba. Kaiba said nothing, but walked past, and as he did, bumped Anzu's arm slightly. Anzu doubled over instantly, clutching her arm and glaring. Ryou blinked, and then remembered. He wrapped his arm around her, and she let out a slight whimper – he moved his arm down a little more towards his waist, cursing himself for having forgotten that injury too. Kaiba was smirking openly.

"_Bastard._" Anzu muttered as he walked by, and Ryou nodded.

"Come on Anzu," Ryou said, glaring daggers at Kaiba. _If looks could kill…_

Anzu nodded, and slowly let go of her arm. She bit her lip, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I think I'm alright," she muttered. Ryou nodded, and reluctantly unwound his arm from around her waist. Anzu kept her hand on his shoulder as they walked through the double doors and out into the courtyard.

Ryou couldn't believe how dumb he had been. He had fallen under another one of Anzu's deceptions. She was acting cheerful, happy, playful, but of course she wasn't. He had just been so happy that she was acting like her old self again, and hadn't even considered the fact that maybe she wasn't being so truthful. Ryou was pulled away by another thought – it had seemed as if Kaiba had bumped Anzu's arm intentionally. But there was no way he could know that she was injured – was there?

"Hey Shizuka, Hey Marik!" Anzu yelled, waving cheerfully. Ryou turned to where she was waving, and saw Shizuka and Marik standing with a group of students that he imagined were in their Spanish class. The two were holding hands and smiling – a vast contrast from the group that sat on the other side of the courtyard, some members sitting and staring morosely at the happy couple. Shizuka smiled, and pulled Marik over with her to come and talk to Anzu.

"Hey Anzu!" Shizuka said, her voice bubbling over with an uncontrollable happiness," Welcome back!"

Anzu grinned," Thanks, good to be here. So, I see you guys finally decided to make it official!"

"Mm-hmm," Marik said, squeezing Shizuka's hand a little tighter," We couldn't wait any longer."

"Thank you so much for your advice Anzu!" Shizuka said, lowering her voice slightly. Anzu nodded, and smiled, although to Ryou it seemed that her smile was a little weak.

"Yea, we finally decided to publicize it… Yami and the others aren't all that pleased though," Marik said with a sigh, glancing over to their old table.

Anzu looked a bit sick.

"Jou was alright with it, actually. When we told him he just kind of nodded and smiled a little. He didn't explode on either of us. Now Yami on the other hand…" Shizuka frowned a little," I guess that was to be expected."

Anzu and Ryou nodded.

"Come on, let's not think about that right now," Marik said, looking a little angry," It'll just bring us down."

Shizuka nodded," True. You guys should probably go, lest they think that you've been associating with the traitors."

Everyone laughed, but there was a tone of truth to Shizuka's statement. They said their goodbyes and Ryou and Anzu gave congratulations, and then the two made their way over to the table.

Jou was sitting with his back towards Anzu and Ryou as they walked up, supporting his head in his hand. In fact, almost everyone at the table was about the same as Jou – the only one of the group that wasn't sulking was little Yugi, who was trying to talk Duel Monsters with a pathetic looking Honda, and looking a little perplexed with the whole situation.

"Hey guys," Anzu said cheerfully," What's up?"

On cue, everyone looked up at her and Ryou. They reminded Ryou of a crowd of over exuberant rocks. Right. Anzu sat down on the bench next to Duke, and Ryou next to Honda, across from Anzu. Yami averted his eyes from Shizuka and Marik to cast a long glance in Ryou and Anzu's direction.

"Not much," he said, not sounding as agitated as he had in English class. Ryou guessed that Anzu's comment about Isis had probably pacified him some on the whole matter of Shizuka and Marik.

"Anzu," Yugi said, now joining the conversation," Are you still going to dance today, even with your injuries?"

Ryou watched as Anzu's lips drew into a tight smile. She sighed slightly," Yea, I still have to. The auditions for our big recital are coming up, and I can't afford to miss a class, with or without a few cuts."

"Oh…" Yugi said, still trying to smile," Well, that's cool. Shows that you're dedicated."

Anzu nodded," Yea. Dedicated…" Her shoulders slumped slightly, making her look just as dejected as the other people at the table. She clutched her stomach and looked over at Jou's lunch tray, which had, from the looks of it, barely been touched.

"Hey, Jou, are you going to eat that?" Anzu asked. Ryou smirked slightly – that was Anzu, representing one of her favorite mottos, bad food is better than no food at all. Jou mumbled something incomprehensible and slid his tray over to Anzu.

"Thanks…" Anzu said, a little thrown off by his behavior. She dug in immediately, and Ryou couldn't help but laugh at her facial expressions as she forced down the slimy, indescribable cafeteria food. For a few moments, the only sound at the table was Anzu eating, the rest all watched with half hearted interest. Ryou's eyes drifted around the courtyard – the sight of Kaiba coming out of the double doors, talking animatedly on his cell phone made him stop. Ryou scowled, feeling an immense hatred for the boy that was causing Anzu so much trouble. Well, one of the boys. Ryou turned back to face one of the people on the opposite side of the table. Yami.

"So Ryou, what was it you were going to tell me?"

Ryou blinked, and faced Anzu. She had finished her meal in record time, and was now staring at him questioningly. As a matter of fact, now everyone at the table was staring at him. He tried to stop from blushing, but failed, and instead looked down to his own uneaten lunch. Smiles, the first of the day, broke out on Duke and Jou's face. Yugi and Honda saw their faces and looked a little confused, and Yami stared at him, his eyes revealing nothing. Ryou lifted his head again, and met Anzu's smiling, but slightly perplexed face.

"W-well…" he started. _Is this really the right place to tell her? How's she going to react?_

"Um, maybe later…"

"Aw comm'on man! Spit it ou, you c'n tell us!" Jou said, laughing.

"Yea Ryou," Yami said, a little more emotion in his voice," You're amongst friends."

Jou and Honda's grins widened even more as Ryou stuttered some. Anzu looked curious and confused, her eyebrows raised slightly. Ryou could feel his heart beating harder as he stared at her face.

_Anzu, I… I…_

"I got a job. "

_(AN: Waahhh! Ha, tricked ya'll, didn't I? Sorry, couldn't resist…)_

Anzu blinked, and Jou and Duke's faces melted into looks of confused shock. Anzu broke out into a smile and half leapt across the table to embrace him.

"That's awesome Ryou, congratulations!"

Ryou turned red, and tried to ignore Jou and Duke's snickers as he finished what he had to tell her.

"-At the museum."

He felt Anzu's hug go limp. Slowly, she slid back into her seat, and stared at him with a look of mixed horror and confusion.

* * *

Kaiba's phone buzzed angrily in his pant pocket, like a bee that had just been swat at. Fortunately, he had turned it back to its normal ring, so loud rap music didn't fill the empty halls of Domino High school as it rang, but the vibration of the phone was enough to carry down the hall and echo back at him.

"It it's that woman, I swear…" Kaiba trailed off as he looked at the number. _Mokie._ Immediately, he flipped the phone open and answered.

"Mokuba, is everything alright?"

Normally, Mokuba only called when there was an emergency. Normally.

"_Hey Nii-san. Everything's fine. What's up?"_

Seto scowled, but was relieved that nothing was wrong with his brother.

"Mokuba, you know not to call when I'm at school!" he hissed. Seto paused, and thought for a moment," And I know that you're not allowed to call when you're at school! You had better not be skipping, because if you've been caught, I'm not going to be the one bailing you out!"

"_Relax Seto, I'm not skipping. The teacher thinks that I'm in the bathroom, which I am. I just have a quick question to ask. Don't say you can't talk right now, I know you're on lunch break."_

Seto sighed, and wondered silently where he had gone wrong in his parenting skills," Fine Mokuba, what is it?"

"_Geez, don't sound so tense, it's a question, not a verdict. Well, anyway, Becky told me today that she was starting up dancing lessons again, and was wondering if maybe I could come after school and watch her. So, you know, I was wondering- "_

"Absolutely not." Seto said, rubbing one of his temples with his free hand. He turned on his heel and started back down the hall, towards the double doors.

"_But Niiii-ssaaaannnn, why nnnnoooottt?"_ Mokuba whined.

He pushed open the doors and walked out into the courtyard, where all around him teens were eating their lunches. A group of girls giggled as he passed them on the way to his normal lunch spot. He rolled his eyes, _Sophomores…_

"I can't Mokuba. You know I have a lot to do."

"_Like what? Kaiba Corp will run fine on its own, and you've already been working a ton lately. You know we need to spend more time together as a family, and I think that this would be a great way to do it. Come on Seto!"_

"Mokuba, no."

From the other side of the courtyard, he felt eyes focused intently on him. Kaiba glanced over to their source, expecting another one of those pathetic fan girls, and instead found Bakura Ryou staring at him and scowling. _Stupid lover-boy…_

"_You have to Seto! For me, please?"_ Seto couldn't see him, but he knew that Mokuba was giving him the puppy eyes.

Seto sighed. He wondered if, when he had bumped into Mazaki, he had bumped too hard. Then he wondered why exactly he even cared.

"Fine, I'll come. But why do you even care that much?"

Mokuba chuckled in a way that made Seto _very_ suspicious.

"_Well, first of all, I wanted to spend some time with you, maybe get an appreciation of the arts or something like that, and second of all, Rebecca asked me to come, so I've got to."_

"Well, if Rebecca asked "Well, if Rebecca asked you to come, then why do I have to?"

"_Because I thought that it would be nice for her to get to know you better."_

"And why again is that?"

"_Because she wants to be able to better associate with her brother-in-law."_

Seto stopped dead, his eyes widening to the size of small saucers.

"WHAT?" he yelled. The tight group of freshmen that had been standing nearby jumped and scattered in all directions away from him, like startled birds often do.

"MOKUBA WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? BROTHER-IN-LAW?"

Mokuba burst out into laughter on the other end of the phone, but for some reason, Seto didn't find it that amusing.

"_I'm just joking Nii-san, calm down. Rebecca and I aren't going to run off and elope anytime soon, well, at least not until she's out of college…"_

"Mokuba…" Seto growled dangerously.

"_Just kidding, just kidding," _Mokuba said quickly,_" But seriously, you need to get to know Rebecca better. Just because we're not getting married doesn't mean that we're not dating."_

"You're what?" Seto's voice was low now, and clear indication to Mokuba that he was about to explode at any moment.

"_We're dating Seto, alright?"_ Not only did Mokuba sound serious, he sounded slightly annoyed," _Rebecca and I are dating, and you're just going to have to get used to it. You know that we're both responsible, and you know that Rebecca wouldn't do anything stupid. All I'm asking right now is if you would come to one or two measly dance lessons, just to watch. Maybe it would do you some good to get out of the office and out of the rain."_

Seto sighed. He should have expected this. "Okay Mokuba, I'll come. Where is the place that Rebecca is taking dance lessons?"

"_It's called Mademoiselle Sarcelle Dugin's School of Dance. I'm sure you've passed it before, it's at the intersection South Broadway and Hooker, the building number is 2607."_

Seto nodded, he couldn't picture the place in his mind, but he knew his way around Domino from all of his rain walks," I'll be there."

"_Thank you Nii-san! I love you, bye."_

" Love you, Bye."

Mokuba hung up.

"Great," Kaiba muttered to himself," Just great."

* * *

"What?"

To Ryou, Anzu looked as if she had suddenly been hit by a train. Something in his gut told him that she probably felt like it to. Ryou sighed and scowled, looking away from her.

"It was my father's idea. Lately he's been telling me that if I ever want to be an archeologist, I need to start getting experience now. I asked him how in the world he expected me to get archeological experience in one of the most high-tech, modern cities in west Japan, and he found a solution. Three days ago, without me even knowing, he called the museum and got me a job there, through some of the people he knows. I just found out this morning, I start working today."

He turned back to Anzu, to see she had laid her head on the table, supported by her crossed arms. She was looking sideways up at him with wide, stunned eyes.

"So…" she started, in almost a whisper," You'll be working with Isis."

Ryou gulped, and nodded.

"Really?"

Ryou and Anzu both turned to Yami, who was following the conversation intently.

"Maybe I could work at the museum also – I need the experience and it would be great to be around all of the Egyptian artifacts…"

Yami was smiling now, considering the possibilities. Yugi frowned and shook his head.

"No way Yami. Duel Monsters sales have been soaring, and we're having enough trouble keeping the store in order even with you, me and Grandpa working constantly – there is no way you can go gallivanting off and leave us. The store's just been way too busy."

Yami sighed, again looking like a chastised toddler," I know, but still…"

Anzu let out a sharp growl of frustration and looked away from Yami – an action that only Ryou noticed.

"Look, Anz'" Ryou started," I didn't want this job, I still don't, but my father's making me."

"I know."

He lowered his voice, even though everyone else was focused on teasing Yami about Isis," I know that you really dislike Isis, but, well, there's nothing I can do about it. I won't make you come and visit me or anything. And you _know_ that I don't like her."

Anzu turned to him and propped her head up in a hand," I know." she said quietly," It's just… a shock. I guess I can't ask you to walk me home from dance, huh?"

Ryou blinked, taken aback. "What?"

Anzu sighed," I don't want to walk home alone, especially after having been attacked…"

"Well then that settles it, I'll quit my job!" Ryou said, completely serious. Anzu jumped up, waving her hands in the air frantically," No no no Ryou, don't quit your job for me. Don't worry; I'll be fine, I swear. I can probably have Mai come by and pick me up anyway, don't quit. A job is a job is a job, even if the boss is the witchiest woman on earth!"

Ryou laughed," Alright, I won't quit, at least now right this moment. But you're sure you're going to be okay?"

Anzu nodded," I'll survive."

* * *

Seto stopped, the feelings of dread and anger leaping up in his gut as he stared at the building before him.

"No. This can't be-"

He looked down at the scrap of paper on which he had hurriedly scrawled the address of Rebecca's dance studio. _2607, Intersection of S. Broadway and Hooker._ He looked back up at the building intently, as if trying to make the numbers written clearly on the front disappear, or change. Mademoiselle Sarcelle Dugin's School of Dance. There could be no doubts about it.

What he couldn't believe was that he had been so stupid. Seto had come to this place, for what, three days in a row, and argued with Mazaki, and he couldn't even remember the address. He didn't even recognize it when it was given to him. So much for his astounding powers of observation. If only he had known, he would have told Mokuba no, and kept it that way.

Seto was positive that the fates, or whatever might lie out there, were against him. He abruptly turned on his heel, and began to walk away from the building. There was no way that he would enter that building.

"Seto!" a voice barked out.

He stopped but didn't turn around, only clenched his fists. He heard someone running towards him, and was suddenly confronted with Mokuba's angry face.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mokuba hissed, looking furious.

Seto sighed and put on his best scowl. Two could play this game.

"As far away from this place as I can," Seto said sourly, already fortifying his will, so as not to be tricked by Mokuba into staying. He knew that he had been tricked by Mokuba into coming in the first place. Mokuba blinked.

"What's wrong with it?" his younger brother asked, furrowing his brows intently," Not nice enough of a place for you? Too common. too lowly? What does it need, some more money, some more class?"

"I don't know what you're implying Mokuba, b-"

"Of course you know what I'm implying Seto! Don't be such a stuck up snob all the time – there's a real world all around you, but you just trap yourself in your own little bubble of 'Seto Reality' and pretend the rest of it doesn't exist!"

Seto scowled, more angered than surprised – he had been expecting something like this eventually. "Mokuba, you should know better than to think I would leave a place just because it 'wasn't rich enough' or whatever the crap you think the reason is. I have a specific reason for leaving, and I'm positive that you already know what it is!"

Mokuba opened his mouth, closed it again, and then looked at him, taken aback.

"No Nii-san…I…don't… How could you accuse me of something like that?"

Seto let out a growl, he wasn't going to fall for one of Mokuba's little innocent acts – the kid was too smart and too clever to not to know exactly what was going on. "Don't play around Mokuba – you know that Mazaki takes dance lessons here in the afternoon!"

His younger brother stood there in front of him, looking for a few moments, confused, before bursting out into a wide smile. "I didn't before, but now I do! What is it then Seto – don't want her to think that you're stalking her or something?"

He glared at his brother, and broke out into a string of curses he had picked up from various clientele over the years. _Great job Seto – make your brother think that you're obsessed with Mazaki…_

"I am not stalking her Mokuba, and you know that! You also know how much I dislike her, an, more importantly, how much we argue! Those should be reasons enough for not wanting to come here!"

Mokuba shrugged," I guess that makes sense…" suddenly, his eyes lit up," Nii-san… if you hate Anzu so much, how did you know that she takes dance lessons here?"

Seto broke out into another long bout of violent cursing, broken off only by a new voice.

"Seto, it's you! I thought I recognized the angry voice!"

Seto spun around to face the smiling visage of Rebecca Hawkins. Mokuba, openly laughing, came up to take her hand in his own.

"Hello Rebecca," Seto said, suddenly feeling rather awkward. Rebecca sighed.

"So formal, so formal. I'd like it better if you called me Becky, unless of course it's against your moral dictum or something…"

Seto looked at her strangely. The two had talked occasionally at various functions before, mainly the ones that Isis dragged him to, but it had never been on such an informal basis. When he had first heard that Mokuba and Rebecca were… dating… he hadn't seen how they could possibly get along. Now, he understood.

"O…k…" Rebecca said, ending the awkward silence that had descended upon them," Anyway, Seto – is it alright if I call you Seto, or would you prefer Kaiba? - thank you so much for taking time out of your day to come," she sent him puppy eyes similar to those Mokuba possessed," It means a lot to me."

He sighed. _They're perfect for each other…_ he thought, trying to enforce it into his mind that Mokuba was actually dating Rebecca.

"The lesson is about to start," Rebecca announced, still wearing those puppy eyes. They were almost as irresistible as Mokuba's," Would you like to come in?"

"Of course," Seto said resignedly," I suppose I have some time."

"Wonderful!" Rebecca exclaimed, clapping her hand together. Seto walked ahead of them, making his way into the dance studio, despite all of the trouble he could feel coming. Mokuba looked at his brother, shocked, then turned to Rebecca, who smiled proudly. The two high-fived exuberantly, and then ran to catch up.

* * *

Had it not been for the fact that Rebecca and Mokuba were right behind him, Seto would have turned around and left, without another word. He had walked all the way up the stairs to the dance studio loft, and entered in a small viewer's area; complete a small bench and one over stuffed armchair. Strains of soft classical music filled the loft, along with the poignant smell of vanilla and spicy French perfume. There were already about ten students in the loft, some stretching, and others quietly chatting. Opposite of the viewer's area was Anzu Mazaki, who was warming up at the barre – and from the looks of it, not having an easy time. She had her leg up on the barre, and was slowly, very slowly, stretching towards it, barely touching her toe with her hand. She then slowly straightened back up, and placed a hand lightly on her back. Seto noticed that she did not use her injured arm while stretching, and wore a thin, fitted long sleeve jacket over her leotard.

Rebecca brushed past him, and made her way out onto the floor. She found a woman, who looked to be about thirty, and spoke to her in hushed tones. Mokuba sat down in the over stuffed chair.

Absentmindedly, Anzu placed a hand on her injured arm, lightly tracing the area where he knew her cut was. He wondered if maybe her wound had reopened when he had bumped it – then asked himself again why he even cared. This was getting to be too much for him – first, walking her home, then treating her wounds, now, what? Caring for her? No…no. Seto shook his head, and instead turned his focus to Rebecca – the real reason he had come to Anzu's – no, the – dance studio. The older woman was nodding slightly and smiling. Suddenly, she clapped her hands together, drawing the attention of all of the students.

"Alright class, we ah going to start with ze lesson!" she announced, her words accented heavily with French. The students all moved from their various places and formed two straight lines in front of where the teacher stood, spaced so that all could see the short French woman. Rebecca stood next to her, looking nervous despite the easy smile on the woman's face and the inviting atmosphere of the loft.

"'Owever, before we start today, I would like to introduce our newest dancer, Mademoiselle Rebecca Hawkins. Tell us some about yourself Rebecca."

Rebecca smiled shyly," Well, um, my name is Rebecca. I'm a sophomore in college, and I took ballet for three years in Russia while my father was working on an excavation outside of St. Petersburg. I haven't danced in half a year, so I might be a little rusty, but hopefully I can get back on track and catch up with the class. Thank you, Mademoiselle Dugin, for allowing me to enter in so late into the year." She bowed slightly to the teacher.

"Ah, pas du probleme, ma cheree. Now, eef you would, please stand next to Mademoiselle Mazaki, she ees-" Mlle. Dugin cut off as Rebecca began to head towards Anzu, who was on the middle of the back row. Mlle. Dugin smiled," Ah, bien, I see that you ah already acquainted. Superb! Now, allons-y! We will begin with ze most important thing for all dancers – warm-ups!"

The teacher led all of the students into the basic warm ups, each getting a little more complex as they went on. After warm ups, Mlle. began to teach the class a few new steps of a dance for the recital coming up. The class divided up into pairs, and practiced the steps together. Rebecca paired with Anzu, who was smiling and laughing happily with the newest addition to the class.

Rebecca turned out to be good – very good. She picked up on the steps quickly, and performed them with an almost flawless exaction that seemed to carry over from her academic performance and into her physical creativity. As she danced, Seto turned to Mokuba, who was watching her intent, absorbing eyes. Mokuba was obviously fascinated, and obviously infatuated.

Seto, on the other hand, was bored. He had never understood the concept of dance – to him it seemed like a bunch of over dramatic, over dressed actors flaunting their bodies and hurling their masses wildly across the stage in an incomprehensible way, and what he was seeing now did nothing to change his view of that. Seto preferred the mathematical solidity of music, which, unlike dance, made sense in his logical mind, with its easily ordered and understood notes, concepts, and techniques.

So far, Seto had been doing a good job at keeping his focus on Rebecca and the rest of the class – everyone but Anzu.

"Okay class, dat ees enough of dat!" Mlle. barked out about fifteen minutes later. The class stopped their dancing and reformed into the two lines. "Now, I would like to go over what we have already learned for ze recital. We will start with the opening song, and then move through what we know. Rebecca, eef you wish, you can stand by and watch. Eet might be beneficial for you to come in some extra days to learn what you 'ave missed."

Rebecca nodded and moved off of the floor. She came to the viewers area, and plopped down into the over stuffed chair next to Mokuba. Seto tried no listen to their quiet conversation, but the older brother in him prevailed.

"You're all sweaty Becky," Mokuba whispered, wrapping his arm around her nonetheless.

"Hm, and here I thought you might like seeing me all sweaty and hot…" Rebecca said, putting a pondering finger to her lip.

"I never said I didn't…"

The two laughed, and then became silent as the other students began to go through what that had previously learned. Seto shook his head, and also focused back on the dancers, hoping that maybe this would sate his boredom. The song that they danced to was one that sounded familiar to Seto, but he couldn't place it, which agitated him immensely. Maybe Mokuba was right – he was getting old, and now couldn't remember the name of one measly song. Seto looked to the clock that hung at the front of the loft – the class was already three-fourths through. _For being so bored…_ he thought _the class has passed relatively quickly…_

Suddenly, the music stopped. Seto looked back to the class, and realized now that he had missed what Mlle. had said – he had no idea what was going on. On girl had come to the front of the room, and was stretching slightly. The rest of the class had sat down on the loft floor, and were now watching her intently. The music started again, a different song this time, and she began to dance, for almost a whole minute. After that minute, the music stopped, and another girl stepped up, replacing the first, who had taken her place on the floor with the rest of the class. The process was repeated through with the whole class – the same song, the same dance. Each student danced it slightly different, and it was easy to see who had practiced, who hadn't, and who was just an over all better dancer. Seto realized that they were practicing for a solo in the recital. Anzu came to the front of the class.

The music started.

Seto tried to look away, but it was too late.

Slowly, with the music, Anzu spread her arms and began to turn, resembling a blooming flower. Her steps were light and airy as they increased in speed, and she began to turn faster as the music picked up, drawing her arms closer in to her body. Her spin became faster, and then suddenly, she broke from it and burst into a leap. She landed oddly, and was pitched slightly off balance, but caught herself and continued. The song progressed into something that seemed to have almost Eastern European origins, influenced possibly by Tchaikovsky.

Seto could tell that Anzu was one of the better dancers of the class, but he wasn't particularly impressed. Her movements, while accurate to the music, were jerky and abrupt, much different from the more flowing steps that he had seen from the other dancers. He chanced to glance to Mlle. Dugin, who was watching Anzu intently and looking rather bothered. Despite the fact that Anzu was not as impressive as a dancer as he had expected, he couldn't tear himself away from her moving body. Maybe it was just the fact that she wasn't doing well – he now had something to use against her. At least, Seto tried to convince himself so. Anzu went into a twisting spin, and winced.

It hit him then.

Three days after, and Mokuba was still limping slightly. While his ugly bruises had begun to fade, his cuts hadn't even come close to healing up, and unless Anzu had miraculously healed overnight, she was still in a lot of pain. That would account for her jerky movements – Seto could see now that beneath them there was the gleam of an experienced and talented dancer. The minute was up, and Anzu stopped dancing.

And that was when she saw him.

For the entire class, he had managed to go unnoticed by her, but now, their eyes were locked in an intense staring contest. Seto saw how pale her face was, how tightly she had pursed her lips, and how angry and shocked her eyes revealed her to be. She also looked as if she was going to be sick. Anzu suddenly clutched her injured arm, and sat back down in her row. Mlle. Dugin came back to the front of the class, and announced the end of the lesson. All of the students of the class stood up and begin to gather their possessions. Some entered the bathroom on the other side of the loft, while some simply left. Rebecca got up from the chair and moved over to her new teacher. The two began to converse quickly, and in French.

Seto watched as Anzu slowly stood up from her sitting position and padded over to where all of the students kept their belongings. She grabbed her bag, pulled out a pair of sweatpants, and quickly put them on. He could tell that she was trying with all of her might not to look over at him. She then removed her ballet shoes, replaced them with a pair of beaten up sneakers, and pulled the hair tie that had been holding her hair away from her face out. Her hair fell down across her face in a billow – she ran her fingers through it once or twice to set it back in place. Anzu zipped up her bag, and slung it over the shoulder of her good arm, being careful not to let it bump the bad part of her back. She looked down at her feet, her hair making it impossible to see her face, and began to make her way towards the only exit of the loft, which was subsequently located in the viewer's area. Seto still hadn't moved from his place on the bench.

However, as Anzu passed Rebecca and Dugin, the French woman reached out and out a hand on Anzu's shoulder. Anzu stopped, and Mlle. Dugin said a quick _au revoir_ to Rebecca before turning to her other student. Unconsciously, Seto strained to hear what the two were saying.

"Anzu, quel est le problème?" Dugin asked in a hushed tone. Anzu shook her head, and replied.

"C'est rien Mademoiselle, il n'y a pas un problème."

"Anzu… ne ments pas…"

Seto didn't exactly understand what was going on – his French was limited to a few greetings and some cooking terms – but from the look on Anzu's face, he could tell that she was forcing herself into another lie. _Why is she so ashamed of the truth…?_

"Eh, bien Mademoiselle… j'ai une malade, mais c'est toute."

"Tu est positive que c'est toute ?"

"Oui."

"Alright den," Dugin said, switching back to her accented Japanese," Let's 'ope that you recover soon. I was very concerned with your performance today. I know dat you 'ave been practicing, and I also know dat being sick can affect a dancer in many ways. Please, get some rest Anzu."

Anzu smiled grimly," I'll try Mademoiselle."

"Au revoir, Anzu,"

"Au revoir."

Anzu turned away from her teacher, and again began to make her way towards the exit. Rebecca too had gathered her belongings, and came up besides Anzu. The two began to talk, and Anzu's face brightened slightly.

Hey Anzu!" Mokuba said exuberantly. Anzu looked to Mokuba, and smiled weakly," Hey Mokuba. I saw your brother here; I didn't realize that you were here also."

Mokuba rolled his eyes," Of course, because Seto loves to come on his own and watch a class full of almost all complete strangers dance. Actually, we all came to watch Rebecca."

Anzu nodded, and turned to Rebecca," You did great today – it's amazing to believe that you haven't danced in half a year. Dancing isn't like riding a bike, it's a hard skill to pick back up again."

Seto noticed how specifically she was avoiding him – and was glad for it. Rebecca laughed slightly.

"Thanks," she said, beaming," I actually started practicing a little about a week ago, just to refresh myself on what I've learned and get my body used to dancing again. Let me tell you, a week ago, I was dancing a lot worse than I did today."

"Anzu," Mokuba said. Seto noticed how Mokuba glanced over to Rebecca, who smirked and raised an eyebrow slightly. "Could we walk home with us? Please?"

Anzu blinked, looking surprised. "Um, well, I kind of live on in the other direction of the mansion, and I don't want you guys to have to go out of the way for me and…"

"Nonsense!" Mokuba exclaimed, and never before in his live had Seto wished to strangle his younger brother like he did now. "Rebecca actually lives only a few neighborhoods down fron yours – we're going that way anyway!"

"We are?" Seto mumbled, but Mokuba heard.

"Of course we are Nii-san," he said, turning to his brother and narrowing his eyes slightly. Rebecca saw the sparks that were starting to clash, and squeezed Mokuba's hand tightly, bringing him back to the matter at hand.

"But wait" Anzu said, looking a little perplexed," How do you know where I live? I don't think you've ever been to my apartment…"

Mokuba smirked," Seto told me…"

Anzu's head whipped to Seto, who was openly and fiercely glaring at Mokuba.

"I. Did. No. Such. Thing." he muttered between clenched teeth.

"Sure ya did Nii-san!" Mokuba said," Now let's go! I heard on the radio that there was a good chance of rain, and I really don't feel like getting wet today…" he glanced over to his girlfriend," I mean, unless…"

"Mokuba…" Seto growled, not wanting know exactly where his younger sibling's train of thought was headed, or where it was going to crash. Despite herself, Anzu giggled, causing Seto to glance back at her. Their eyes met again, and she scowled. Her eyes flashed with a quick stubbornness that he hadn't seen in quite a while. Seto turned and walked down the stairs, the others following behind him.

Outside, it had just started to cloud over – the rain was a little late, but it would come soon nonetheless. Seto hadn't brought an umbrella, not as though he would use it, and Anzu's had yet to be replaced. Seto strongly doubted that Mokuba or Rebecca had one, and he really did not feel like getting wet that day. Anzu spoke again.

"Are you sure that you want to walk me home, I mean well-"

"Look Anzu," Mokuba said," I already told you, Rebecca lives in the same direction as you, so it isn't as if we're going out of the way."

"But-"

"No buts!" Rebecca said, shaking a finger," Come on, let's go."

They all began to walk, Rebecca and Mokuba leading, holding hands, and happily chatting, Anzu following them, looking rather sulky and displeased, and Seto trailing, looking like, well, Seto.

The rain came in soon enough, slowly but surely. Large, slow drops plopped on the streets and the people on the sidewalks. Anzu stopped walking, and looked back at Seto, almost expectantly. He smirked, and showed her his empty hands.

"You're just going to have to get your own umbrella Mazaki," he said, sneering," Stop forgetting yours."

Anzu crossed her arms across her chest," Wow Seto, you must be getting old if you don't remember. I suppose I need to remind you of the fact that my umbrella is now in pieces at the bottom of some landfill?"

Rebecca and Mokuba had stopped walking, and were now staring at the two bickering teens, looking worried.

"You're the one that's getting old Mazaki," Kaiba said," You dance like a jerky old woman!"

Had it not been for Mokuba and Rebecca latching on to Anzu's good arm in the nick of time, she would have jumped him. Instead, she lunged forward, and was pulled back with such a force that she continued to stumble back, taking the two younger teens down with her. Anzu jumped back up, quickly helped Mokuba and Rebecca up, and then turned back to glare at Kaiba, water trickling down the material of her sweatpants. Without another word, Anzu spun around and started walking in the direction of her apartment complex. Mokuba and Rebecca followed, quietly whispering about something that Kaiba was sure was no good. Kaiba stood for a moment, and then also began to walk, knowing that if he turned around now and headed to the mansion, there would be another fight with Mokuba in his future. Seto would do almost anything to avoid another one of those, even if it meant being within a four block radius of Mazaki for more than thirty seconds. Suddenly, Anzu turned around, not looking sad or sick or any of that, but curious and confused.

They walked in almost complete silence the whole way, the only sound being the rain hitting the pavement and the occasional whispers between Mokuba and Rebecca. Seto walked more slowly behind the others, staring at his feet and thinking.

_Maybe… I shouldn't treat her like that… all it does is make Mokuba angry and make things more difficult for me. Besides, she saved Mokuba's life…_

Seto glanced up, and observed Anzu's short but lean form.

_And it isn't like she's unattractive…_

Seto almost screamed as the thought drifted through his mind, but settled instead for shaking his head violently. Now was not the time for thoughts like that, especially about her. In fact, it was never the time… but still…

He shook his head again, and tried to focus on something else, something more appropriate – like his own girlfriend. She would be leaving in a week and a half, going back to Egypt for who knew how long. Seto knew that it wasn't right, but he couldn't wait until she left. He didn't understand it, but this trip he just couldn't seem to stand her. Seto had never had that problem before, but now, any moment that he could be away from her was a moment celebrated. Even, although it pained him to think it, a moment with Anzu was better than having to spend time with Isis. At least Anzu showed some common sense every once and a while, and she wasn't controlling, compulsive, or overly whiny. _Why am I thinking about this?_

Seto stopped walking just in time to narrowly avoid running into Mokuba and Rebecca. They had reached Anzu's apartment complex, and stopped. Anzu smiled slightly and said her good byes to Rebecca and Mokuba, and then looked to Kaiba. Impulsively, he smirked, causing her to give him a look that wasn't angry, annoyed or any of that, but curious and confused.

"You Know Kaiba, I just don't understand you."

"Join the club," Mokuba muttered.

* * *

Six fifty-five, Mai burst through the door. She made her way to the small dinner table and upended the single bag of groceries onto it, its contents including some yogurt, a container of peanut butter, a few apples and two boxes of macaroni and cheese.

"Anz', I'm home!" she shouted, but got no reply. Mai called out again, and frowned slightly at the silence of the apartment, not being able to help but feel worried. She walked down the hall to Anzu's room, and knocked on the door softly. When no one answered, Mai turned the door knob – it wasn't locked – and pushed it open.

Anzu had collapsed onto her bed and fallen asleep, not even under the covers. Her dance bag lay on the floor, still packed, and she was still hadn't changed out of her dance clothes. She was breathing softly but deeply, and Mai got the impression that the entire apartment could fall in around Anzu and she wouldn't eve twitch. Mai sighed and smiled grimly. _Poor girl, she works herself way too hard…_ Mai closed the door and walked back to the kitchen area. Slowly, she began to put up the groceries, or, more accurately, shove them wherever in the panty or fridge that they would fit.

That task being complete, Mai looked over to the phone. The light indicating that they had messages was flashing. Mai pressed the "Play" button, and listened to what the answering machine had to offer.

"_Hello, this is a message to Miss Mai Valentine from World Wing Modeling Agency. Our agency was wondering if you would be interested in starti-"_

Mai scowled and pressed the "erase" button, cutting off her newest offer. She made it clear to all other agencies that she was loyal to the agency she was currently employed to – it was the only agency she had ever been employed to – but competing companies still continued to call her and waste her time. The next message started to play.

"_Hey Anz," _a crisp but friendly British accent filled the apartment,_" It's about six o'clock and I just got off work. I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to go get some pizza or something – I know you're not all to excited about my new job, and honestly I was hoping to bribe you with food but anyway…well… call me back if you can, bye."_

"Sorry hun," Mai muttered, looking at the clock. It was now seven. "I don't think Anzu can go out with you tonight."

The next message came on.

"_Anzu, sweety, it's me,"_ at the sound of the over syrupy female voice, Mai frowned. _"I guess you're not home, but I've got to talk to you tonight. We wer-"_

Mai pressed the "erase" button, bringing an end to the annoying voice. If only Mai could do the same to its owner. Anzu wasn't going to be happy just knowing, but Mai knew for a fact that hearing that would be even worse for her. Mai would wait to tell Anzu until Anzu was awake and fully conscious. Mai made a mental note to remember to tell Anzu, and then went into her bathroom to take a shower. It had been a long day.

* * *

Dun dun daaaa! Who called? Why won't Anzu be happy? And why has Seto been thinking about Anzu more? Not all will be revealed in the next chapter of Like the Rain! SO stay tuned!

Ok. Again, I'm so sorry about how long it took me to update. School has been so busy and time consuming, it's difficult for me just to get more than five hours of sleep a night with all of my studies, so I have to work on writing on the weekends, which are also becoming increasingly busy so yea… please don't jump me or yell at me for how long it's taking! I'm quite aware that it was nearly a month, and I'm also quite aware that, while not desirable, it might take a month for me to get the next chapter posted.

Now, onto a happier subject! THANK YOU ALL OF MY REVIEWERS! Over 130 reviews, you guys are awesome! I don't have time for personal responses (It's 4:10 in the morning and I'm rather lazy/tired), but I want you all to know how much I appreciate your input, encouragement, and enthusiasm! You all keep me going! A brief response to one of my reviewers – you know who you are – thank you for pointing out my age discrepancies. Sometimes I just can't keep track of what I'm doing. Seto and Mokuba are five years apart, not three or whatever I might have had it as later. My ages might be slightly different than the ones in the series, but they serve the purposes of my story.

Also! Be on the look out for a one-shot, which should be coming out soon! It will be a brief SetoXAnzu (brief meaning more like implied), based in the winter! It will be titled Chocolat Chaud, so like I said, be on the look out. Once again, I can't promise a release date. I don't want to promise something and then let you guys down.

Alright, I really need to get some sleep. Thanks again, R&R

RR

P.S. If you can't read French… Anzu told Mlle. Dugin that she was sick, but that was all. She's like, a compulsive liar or something. Oy.

P.P.S – sorry for any glaring grammatical errors. I have no desire right now to go back through and look for them.


	10. Rebellion

Hi everyone. Please don't kill me. I know that it's been two months since I've updated – I'm quite aware of that. Finally, I'm updating, amongst many threats and pleas! I never realized how…vital my chapters were – First makeup runs, then asthmatic attacks, next thing I know, you all will be threatening me with your lives! (Please, don't!) I had originally intended this chapter to be a lot longer, as compensation for not updating in so long, but my anxiousness to update finally overcame my desire for length. I hope you all don't mind! Please forgive me for how long it took to update – these past few months have been crazy! Along with a hurricane, a death in the family, school, travel, and a serious emergency surgery in the family, I've been going through a horrid writer's block that I've had to painstakingly squeeze past. However, I think that you all will enjoy this chapter – for once, I swear things are starting to pick up! Thank you all so much for your patience! Please Read and Review… You know you want to.

Love, RR

Disclaimer: Twists off Coca-Cola (which I don't own) bottle cap. Reads Sorry, you don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Try again. Crap.

* * *

Like The Rain by Revolutionnaire Rouge

Chapter Ten – Rebellion.

Dedicated to my brother – you know who you are. You had best read and review, I know where you go to school. Also, dedicated to Life, Love and Luck.

* * *

_We'll see what comes of it, I thought_

_and I hardened my heart against her._

_What, won't the villain speak to me? she_

_thought, flying into a rage._

_And there we stood, sedulously refusing to look one_

_another in the face,_

_Until at last I managed an unconvincing laugh,_

_and her tears robbed me of my resolution._

-Amaru

* * *

"For once, I'm not going to be late…"

Anzu smiled slightly and looked at the time on her digital watch. _6:20._ Quietly, she closed the door of the apartment and locked it, so as not to wake her still sleeping roommate. Anzu walked down the stairs, trying hard to ignore the brutal twinge that emanated from her back.

The sky was just starting to get light as she walked out onto the sidewalk. The rising sun cast odd patches of fiery orange and red onto the overhanging dark clouds, bathing the whole city in a strange, jewel like light.

_I wonder if it'll rain today…_ she thought, looking up at the tangerine and blood colored clouds. _Knowing my luck…_

Anzu sighed, and rearranged her backpack onto her back. She couldn't wait until the rainy season left, and took away all of the strangeness it had brought with it. In a last ditch attempt to bring back a little normalcy to her life, Anzu was getting back to her regular morning routine – wake up, practice for dance, get ready, go to the post office, then go to school.

The post office was only about three blocks away from her apartment, and not too far after that from the school. Normally, it didn't take her very long to get there, but her back and arm had been giving her trouble that morning…

She looked up to the sky again, and saw that the recently rising warm colors were being replaced with the darker, more ominous shades of oncoming rain. With a groan, she began to walk a little faster, although she knew that it would do no good – there was a good chance that she would get rained on.

_Which also means there's a good chance that HE'LL show up… but he wouldn't be out on one of those 'Rain Walks' this early… would he?_

Shaking her head, she tried to banish the thought from her mind. While she wouldn't put I t past Seto Kaiba to talk rain walks at any unsightly time of day, she was going to hope that he decided it was more important to go to school this morning rather than torment her this early in the morning. But she wouldn't put it past him.

As a way to get the teen that had given her so much trouble over the past week out of her head, Anzu decided to focus on what was around her. She scanned the streets, passing familiar shops and homes as she walked. It didn't take her long to notice that there was something different, something wrong. Normally, when Anzu took this route, the shops and businesses that lined the street were just beginning to get ready for the day, and the commuters were on their way to work – most mornings, her area of Domino was like a bustling metropolis. While most people in Domino were employed by the massive Kaiba Corp. administrative and factory headquarters, many smaller companies and independently run businesses still thrived. However, today, the street was empty, devoid of all life but her. Anzu glanced to her watch again – _6:30. _She was already half way to the post office.

The small droplet of water that sprinkled onto her head and slowly trickled down her face brought Anzu to more a more important observation. It was raining. With a groan, she began to walk faster and carefully swung her backpack over head, not caring if her books got wet. The rain came first in slow, lazy drops, but it quickly escalated into a constant, driving mass of rain arrows. Anzu's leisurely pace sped into an all out dash to the post office. She could see the intersection, all she had to do was cross the street and she'd be there, and out of the rain. Anzu sped up even more, ignoring the puddles that her feet kicked up and splashed her shins, soaking her socks. She had one goal, and she was almost-

Anzu felt all of the breath rush out of her lungs and she made direct contact with the solid object that she had slammed into. As she felt herself fall backwards, she was vaguely aware of the fact that she was at the intersection, and the person she had collided with had just turned the corner when it happened. A long arm grabbed her uninjured one, and the sudden change in direction jerked her forward, her momentum causing her to crash into the person again. _There's no way… God, strike me down now…_ Anzu silently begged as she smelled the familiar, spicy cologne. _I must just be asking for this – not even ten minutes after thinking about him, voila!_

"Alright Mazaki, you can get off of me now."

Anzu pushed off of Kaiba's chest and stared up at his chilling blue eyes. Anzu raised an eyebrow and glared back at him.

"Is there any way to avoid you, or do you have like, your mind set in 'Anzu Radar Mode'? Because, you know, I'm really getting sick of running into you."

Kaiba put a hand to his chest, where Anzu imagined she had run into him," Yea, so am I. Honestly Mazaki, aren't dancers supposed to be light?"

Anzu scowled and swung a fist at him, but her punch ended with an ineffectual "umph" in his raised palm.

"Now this is a surprise. I didn't think you were an advocate of physical violence."

She looked up at him darkly, but didn't say anything. He held a dark blue umbrella over both of their heads, keeping them out of the driving rain.

"Well, you should no better than to insult a girl – especially when it's about her weight!" Anzu said, placing her hands on her hips and looking indignant.

"Well, you should know better than to go running around through the streets of Domino like a madwoman and not look where you're going!" Kaiba shot back, narrowing his eyes.

Anzu threw up her arms in frustration," I was not running through the streets of Domino you-you baboon!"

He scowled, and quickly snapped the umbrella shut, allowing the rain to suddenly come flooding back over the both of them.

"I am not a baboon Mazaki," he said dangerously," I believe that I'm very well mannered – more so than you."

"Yea," she snorted in a very unladylike manner," And I'm Harry Truman."

"Now I could believe that. You look more and more like a man every day."

Anzu's jaw dropped, and she stuttered for a moment before she was finally able to spit out," Well, at least if I was a man, I'd be better looking than you! And I'd have a girlfriend!"

Kaiba suddenly did an abrupt about face, so she couldn't see his expression. "Who says I don't have a girlfriend Mazaki?"

"Um, let me see here, the world, maybe?"

"'The world' doesn't know anything," He mumbled," Anyway, where were you headed before you oh-so-gracefully flung your body mass in my direction?"

His question jerked Anzu's attention to her watch. _6:40._ She let out a groan, and turned from Kaiba. She began to cross the intersection, noticing that Kaiba followed behind. She hoped that it wouldn't take to long to get her mail – if she did get to school on time, she would be cutting it close. Anzu made it across the road, and pulled the handle of the glass door of the post office. She was met with a blast of cold air that made her shiver. Anzu looked around, and saw that the post office, like the streets the post office oddly enough, was deserted. It must have had something to do with the rain. Her footsteps echoed as she padded across the expanse of the post office to her own mailbox, followed by Kaiba's quick, precise steps.

Kaiba quietly followed Anzu's agitated form through the post office. He wondered when she would realize that he was behind her – and then wondered if maybe she knew, but wasn't reacting. Despite how much she got on his nerves, he just couldn't help but be slightly curious as to what she was doing, coming to the post office so early on a day like this. Anzu reached a wall of towering, metal mail boxes, and took a small key off of a chain that was attached to her bag. She came to one of the boxes, and stuck the key in its lock. With a deft twist, she opened the box, and quickly pulled out the mail before closing the box and relocking it. She began to shuffle through the pile of letters, and without even looking up, said," Jeez Kaiba, can you stand to leave me alone for longer than ten seconds?"

Kaiba said nothing, just watched her sort through her mail. He came a little closer, openly looking at what she had received. Anzu tore her eyes away from the mail to glare up at him, but said nothing more. She threw away most of the mail she received – it was mainly junk mail and advertisements.

Suddenly, Anzu let out a string of curses, loud enough that he could hear them but soft enough that no one else would be able to. He suddenly realized how close to her he was now standing. He glanced at the letter she held, but her thumb blocked out the return address. Anzu opened the letter, and pulled out a small note. Kaiba caught the word 'tuition' and 'dependent' before Anzu angrily crumpled up the note and shoved it back in the envelope. She took the letter in two hands, and began to rip it down the center. However, she paused, and looked at the envelope again. Her eyes clouded over with an alien emotion, and she quickly stuffed it into her bag, all while muttering some rather unpleasant sounding phrases.

"What do they think they're doing?" Kaiba heard," Messing with my life… like they give a damn…"

Anzu grew quiet, until her curses faded into a few jumbled words, and then finally, melded in with the silence of the post office. She simply stood, looking dejected, gazing down at ground. Kaiba was all too annoyingly aware of the few inches of air that separated the two of them – he was about to step away when she suddenly looked up and caught him with her eyes. Two dull orbs emotionlessly peered up at him in a chilling manner, and he did his best to glare back down at her. She shook her head slightly and broke eye contact.

_Her eyes…_ a random though buzzed around his conscious liked a fly he just couldn't seem to swat _… they almost never shine anymore…_

Kaiba scowled at himself. It was as if being around Anzu had made him soft, had made him susceptible to ideas that involved caring for someone other than Mokuba. He had made a resolution long ago that he would have as little to do with Yugi and his inane groupies as possible, but here he was, standing in the post office less than half a foot away from the girl that he had taunted and tormented since they first met. It was practically inscribed into the unwritten law of existence: _Seto Kaiba will hate Anzu Mazaki, and Anzu Mazaki will hate Seto Kaiba._ But here he was, defying a law that he had never had wanted to break.

"Kaiba," Anzu muttered, bringing him back to his current situation," I don't have personal space issues, but seriously, if you don't move now I might develop them."

Kaiba blinked," What, am I in your comfort zone or something?" he snapped.

Anzu glared up at him fiercely, and for a moment he thought he could see a slight sparkle," Yea, just a little." she replied caustically," My comfort zone for you is about two yards, and you've definitely broken that one."

"So now I make you feel uncomfortable?" Kaiba asked, although not entirely sure why.

She sighed, and rolled her eyes," Something like that."

Anzu shoved the rest of her mail into her bag, turned from him, and began to walk to the door. Kaiba followed behind her, opening up his umbrella as they stepped outside. Anzu looked up at the umbrella almost wistfully, and then started walking away from the post office. Kaiba remained rooted where he was. Almost immediately Anzu left the safety of the umbrella's coverage, and stopped when she felt the raindrops slide down her face. She didn't turn around, but simply waited.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kaiba asked, now smirking. Anzu took a look at the watch around her wrist," To school. And If I don't hurry, I am going to be late…"

"To school, Mazaki?" Kaiba's cruel smile grew a little larger.

"Yea," she replied without even facing him," You know, that place that the government makes us go so that we can learn to be productive and intelligent members of society."

Kaiba chuckled, his wolfish grin making Anzu uneasy.

"I knew you liked school," he said bitingly," But I didn't thing that even you would like it enough to come on a Saturday."

Anzu blinked. "What?"

He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms," It's Saturday Mazaki. You know, that day when no one goes to school and everyone wears normal clothes?"

Only then did Anzu notice Kaiba's attire – true to his previous statement, he was dressed normally, well, normally for Kaiba, meaning a cerulean dress shirt, black, tight fitting pants, and a slim black trench coat. Anzu could feel tendrils of red color spread out across her cheeks as she looked down at her own, mundane school uniform.

"You've got to be joking," she finally spat out.

"You know I don't joke," he replied. Anzu stood for a moment, staring into his eyes. No, Kaiba didn't joke – at least not on a regular basis. Kaiba grinned smugly as he watched Anzu's reaction.

"I, unlike other people," Kaiba said," Know how to read a calendar." He could see in Anzu's face that something inside of her had snapped. His grin grew wider as she glared up at him, eyes glinting with an almost untamed ferocity.

"You always know what buttons to push!" she screamed, waving her school bag around as she did," You jerk!"

Anzu hurled her bag at him, but missed and instead hit a light pole a few feet to his right. The bag exploded open, spewing all of its contents out on the wet side walk.

"Gah! Now look what you made me do!" she hissed, and she frantically ran over to try and replace her things before everything was soaked and ruined.

"I didn't make you do anything," he said, casually strolling over to where she was, on her knees cramming school supplies into her bag. He held the umbrella over the two of them, but Anzu was too angry to notice. On the sidewalk, near Anzu's feet, lie a contained with its lid popped off. Something brownish-blue oozed out between two pieces of what Kaiba guessed was once bread. Yellow squishy globules stuck to the container and the lid in an unidentifiable pattern.

"What is that?" Kaiba asked, prodding the container slightly with his shoe. Anzu turned to him and placed a hand on her hip, looking more than a little annoyed.

"It's my lunch Kaiba, or it was before it spilled out on the sidewalk."

Kaiba stared at the 'lunch' in disbelief," What are you, a garbage disposal or something? I can't even tell what it is."

"It was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and some rice," Anzu said, picking up the sandwich and throwing it away in a nearby trashcan," And for your information, I made it myself."

"Well then, that would explain why it looks like a pile of crap," Kaiba said condescendingly.

"Do you just take pleasure from toying with me?" Anzu asked, scowling. Kaiba didn't answer. "Anyway," she continued," You probably couldn't do any better."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think that?"

"Um, well, because you're a guy, and you're rich, so you probably have tons of other people to cook for you, so you don't have to cook for yourself."

"Oh," he said, rolling his eyes," because that's not sexist and stereotypical."

Anzu scowled," There's no way you can cook."

"I can cook better than you can which, by the looks of it isn't even that hard."

"Prove it." she said flatly.

"Excuse me?"

"Did I stutter?" Anzu said with a sigh," I said, prove it."

Slowly, Kaiba smirked, staring down at Anzu's challenging glare. He could feel his heart begin to race at the prospect of a competition, of a challenge, of a game. Even something as small as proving he could cook.

"Alright. I will."

Anzu blinked, looking startled, and Kaiba let out a chuckle," What, you thought I would back down? Where have you been for the past three years? I never back down from a challenge."

Kaiba turned, and began to walk.

"Where are you going?" Anzu yelled to his back.

He rolled his eyes and looked over his shoulder back at her. "Come on Mazaki, is today a special day or do you always act like an idiot on the weekends? You told me to prove that I could cook, and I'm going to prove it to you. Right now."

* * *

Anzu sighed as she shifted into a more comfortable sitting position. _Damn male testosterone…_ she thought as she stared at Kaiba. He was working at the island in the center of the lower kitchen – the same kitchen the he had bandaged her up in – with a furious vigor, compiling recipes faster than anyone else she had ever seen. Already, a heavenly smell was rising up from something baking in the oven. Anzu had a feeling that she would be losing this challenge, and badly. But honestly, how could she have known that Kaiba could cook. _Well that's a no-brainer Anzu,_ she thought, scolding herself, _He's Kaiba. There isn't anything that he can't do…_

For the last half an hour, the kitchen had been practically silent, the only exceptions being the sound of cooking instruments scraping against bowls. They had walked in silence to the mansion, Anzu steaming and Kaiba mentally preparing himself for the challenge. _It's not as though we have much to say… we only argue._ However, the lack of communication was starting to get on her nerves. Anzu would rather be arguing with him that not saying anything at all. It was less awkward that way. She clenched her fists and hopped off of the counter she had been sitting on, cringing slightly on impact.

"So Kaiba…"

He made no sign of recognition.

"Whatcha making?"

Kaiba stopped stirring whatever it was he was preparing in a bowl, and turned to her. He opened his mouth the say something, but suddenly the oven let out a piercing series of beeps. He grabbed an oven mitt and went over to the oven. As he opened it up, a rolling mass of warm air rose up and heated his face. Seto quickly pulled out the baking sheet and closed the over door. He came back over to Anzu and, with a spatula, placed a batch of warm cookies onto a cooling rack.

"White Chocolate Chunk Sugar Cookies," Kaiba said flatly. Anzu stared at his serious face, and burst into a fit of laughter.

"What is it Mazaki?" he asked sharply.

"Y-You're just so serious!" she giggled, eyes sparkling," And I wouldn't have expected you to bake something like cookies." Kaiba raised an eyebrow questioningly," You just don't seem like the cookie type of guy."

" Just try one."

Tentatively, Anzu reached out and took one of the large, fluffy looking sweets. She let out a startled yelp and dropped the cookie back on the rack, and waved her hand in the air slightly.

"Ow…" she muttered," That was hot."

"Really Mazaki? You don't say. I just took them out of the oven. They're not going to be cold."

Anzu scowled and glared at the taller teen," Well then you shouldn't have told me to try one yet!"

Anzu waited a few moments, and then picked up the slightly cooler cookie again. She took a bite, and much to her surprise, Kaiba picked one up and did the same. A rush of perfect sugary sweetness enveloped her senses, and sent her mind dizzily careening. Anzu took another bite, and then another, until the cookie was gone. She was impulsively about to reach for another, when she suddenly caught the expression Kaiba's face. He grinned leeringly. Anzu scowled, and looked away from his mocking gaze.

"They're Mokuba's favorites," Kaiba said smugly," And my secret recipe."

Anzu took a deep breath, and steeled herself, clenching her fists tightly.

"Fine." she said," You win, okay? You proved you can cook. The cookies are absolutely delicious. Go ahead and rub it in my face!"

Kaiba's smirk widened," I told you I could cook, and I proved it. I'm not going to rub it in your face – watching you wither in shame and defeat is prize enough."

"Oh, thanks," Anzu said bitingly," That makes me feel better. Can I go now?"

"There was nothing keeping you here in the first place."

"But-"Anzu bit off what she was about to say. _He's just trying to bait me… _She turned away from him, grabbed her bag, and began to head towards the stairs that would lead her from the Kaiba Hell Hole – or, um, Lower Kitchen.

"Where do you think you're going Mazaki?"

Anzu threw a smoldering glare over her shoulder to him," Home. As you happened to mention before, it's Saturday, and there's nothing keeping me here."

"What makes you think you can leave now without learning how to cook?" he asked, a hint of sarcasm tainting his words.

Anzu stopped dead and spun around on her heel, the wave of fury that engulfed her covering up the twinge of pain in her back.

"You just said that I-"

"I know what I said, and now I'm saying this: it's about time you stopped insulting those of us who actually can cook by throwing various leftovers together and calling it a meal," he stared her down, his blue eyes like the hearts of two intense fires," I'm going to be nice and teach you how to cook. Just think of it as payment for saving Mokuba."

"I would appreciate it more if you would just buy me a new umbrella," Anzu grumbled, but despite her mutters, she came back to the island Kaiba stood at.

"But that would make things easy," Kaiba said, smirking," And we can't have that, now can we? Now, I'm going to be even nicer than I am already being by allowing you to choose what I teach you to make."

Anzu scowled and bit her lip. She could choose something extremely difficult for Kaiba to try and teach her to make, but Anzu imagined that he would be expecting that. Thinking for a moment, her mind strayed back to a few days ago…

"Macaroni and cheese."

Now it was Anzu's turn to smirk as Kaiba struggled to keep his face from changing from its usual condescending sneer to an expression of annoyed shock.

"Macaroni and cheese. You can't be serious Mazaki."

Anzu crossed her arms and stared him down defiantly," You heard what I said. Macaroni and cheese. You promised you would teach me how to cook whatever I wanted to, and I want to learn how to cook mac-n-cheese. "

Seto looked down to her disbelievingly," You don't know how to make macaroni and cheese?" he then rolled his eyes," What an idiot. Forget about it, just go."

Frowning, Anzu took a few steps closer, until they were only a few inches apart. She looked up into his hard, dark eyes.

"What? Is the all mighty Seto Kaiba afraid to make some macaroni? Or is it that he doesn't know how?" she whispered mockingly," Admit defeat, Kaiba."

"I'd never admit defeat, never to you," he hissed, bringing his face nearer to hers so that she could feel the full intensity of his glare," Why should I waste my time proving anything to you?"

The two stood in silence, their glares locked, a simmering heat rising up from the tempers of both teens. Kaiba's face loomed only an inch or two above Anzu's – she could almost hear the gears in his mind methodically clinking. Seto could fell Anzu's breath brush his cheek, a sensation that made him want to draw back, for he was now aware of their close proximity. He just couldn't escape her gaze, and he had no intentions now of letting his falter.

"Never say never," Anzu breathed, trying to calm her still mounting anger.

The two teens were absolutely silent, unbelievably still and oblivious to the flurry of chaos around them. They stood there, tense and ready for the other's next action, unaware of the squawking wail of the oven timer or the thick, black smoke that was rising from the over and significantly raising the temperature of the kitchen. A small bead of sweat rolled down Anzu's forehead – her eyelids flicked slightly, and for a moment she was almost positive that Kaiba's face had come a little closer.

"Um, am I interrupting something?"

Anzu and Kaiba blinked, and tore themselves from the other's gaze to turn their eyes to a very smug looking Mokuba.

"I can go, if you want me to," he said, pointing slightly to the stairs he had just come down," I just wanted to make sure that you two were aware of the fact that whatever you concocted is now burning quite nicely. And I'm not talking about your secret passions for each other."

The two jumped away from each other, and Kaiba ran towards to oven. Anzu followed behind, grabbing oven mitts as she went, eyes wide and panicked. Kaiba turned the oven off and quickly opened up the door. A dark mass of smoke rolled out from the oven and into their faces, sending both teens into a coughing fit and they quickly tried to wave it away. Mokuba sat on the bottom stair, watching his brother and Anzu with an amused anticipation. Through the cloud of smoke, Anzu shoved the oven mitts in Kaiba's direction – he grabbed them and took the burning pan of what had one been more cookies out of the oven. More smoke billowed up, but was suddenly beaten back down by the turning on of the overhead fire sprinklers. The water spewed out from the small ceiling faucets and quickly quelled the noxious cloud, allowing Mokuba to see the state that his older brother and his curious guest were in. Black tendrils of soot and water streaked down both of their faces, dripping down from their hair and onto their clothes. Seto's hair was plastered to his face and stuck up in some areas at odd angles, while Anzu's hair became thin and stringy, allowing the overhead water to drip down easily. Anzu and Seto's clothes clung to them, soaking wet and getting wetter as the sprinkler quenched the thirst of the burning what-was-once-food. Mokuba sighed and shook his head.

"I suppose this is what the two of you get for trying to use cooking as an excuse to be together," he said, trying to sound serious.

"What are you talking about Mokuba?" Kaiba snapped, trying desperately to find the 'Off' switch for the sprinklers."

Mokuba shrugged and stood up from his seat on the step," Oh, I don't know really, but I can make some educated guesses from how close you two were when I came in. You guys were like, whoa - right there. I'm surprised that I didn't walk in on some kind of make-out session, and honestly I'm a little glad I didn't…"

"Mokuba…" Kaiba growled as Anzu looked away from both boys. They had been close. Really close. She could feel a blush starting to surface, and as she glanced to Kaiba, she wondered if the little bit of color on his cheeks wasn't from the work it took to turn the sprinklers off.

"Don't be silly," Anzu said weakly.

Mokuba just smiled and shrugged again.

"Well, you know what they say. If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen."

* * *

"So what did you want to ask me Mokuba?" Kaiba said, settling down into one of the library's overstuffed chairs. Anzu sat down in the next chair, sporting another set of Kaiba's clothes, seeing as hers were completely drenched in soot and water. She wondered for a moment why she was still at the Kaiba mansion – why she hadn't been sent away as soon as she had been taken care of. It might have had something to do with the pouring rain outside, but somehow, Anzu doubted it. Mokuba sent Seto and Anzu a puppy dog look of innocence.

"What makes you think that I was going to ask you something, Nii-san?"

Kaiba sighed, and blew his bangs out of the way of his eyes," Well, besides the fact that you're using the classic 'I-didn't-do-anything-I'm-a-perfect-angel' look, you also are up early." he glanced at the old fashioned clock that made its home on the mantle of the large fireplace," It's only 8:00 am, not to mention it's a Saturday morning. You're never awake anytime before ten on the weekends unless you have a favor to ask of. So, what is it?"

Mokuba rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He flopped down into the chair across from his brother. "Alright, you got me. I did come because I wanted to ask you something. I do have to say though, I wasn't expecting Anzu to be here otherwise I-"

"Just get it over with Mokuba."

"Fine," Mokuba said, sounding slightly defiant," I wanted to ask you if it would be alright if Roland drove Rebecca and me to the movies tonight. I know that you're a little tighter on staffing now, but neither of us can drive, so yea, we kind of need transport."

Kaiba blinked, looking slightly confused, but Anzu, a little more adept to the normal world than Kaiba was, knew exactly what was going on. She struggled not to let out a giggle.

"You're going where?" he asked.

"To the movies," Mokuba replied confidently.

"Why?" Kaiba asked, slowly.

"To study the progression of film making over the past decade," Mokuba said sarcastically," What do you think Seto – we're going on a date!"

Anzu could see the wheels turning in Kaiba's mind as he fought to reasonably process the strange information that he had just been given. There were many minutes of silence.

"A date." he finally said.

"Yes," Mokuba replied.

"With Rebecca."

"Again, yes."

Kaiba paused, and Anzu saw Mokuba stare up at his older brother, inwardly hoping. Anzu was hoping the same thing – it was about time the Mokuba was able to have a life outside of school and the corporation.

"Absolutely not." Kaiba finally said.

"What?" Anzu and Mokuba both exclaimed.

"You can't do that!" Mokuba protested.

Kaiba frowned," I can and I am!" he said with steely resolve.

"But- it's just a-"

Kaiba stood up quickly, and loomed over his brother," I said no – and this time, no tears or yells or faces are going to make me change my mind. You are not going on any kind of date, and that's that!"

Mokuba clenched his fists," Why not?" he spat out. Anzu also stood up, ready to grab one of the brothers in case the fight got any worse.

"Because," Seto growled," You're thirteen, Rebecca's thirteen, you're a troublemaker, and overall, I just don't think you're old or mature enough for something like a movie date. Especially unaccompanied."

"Like you're old enough!" Mokuba yelled," You and that old hag-"

"Enough Mokuba!" Kaiba roared, making Anzu shrink back. Mokuba, however, stood his ground.

"I don't believe that your reasons are sufficient for answering my questions." Mokuba said coldly," And I also don't believe that you could have any kind of experience with dating or relationships seeing as you've never liked a girl or even developed any kind of hormones – and don't try and delude yourself by saying you have been in a relationship because that's all just some kind of twisted farce developed to make you believe that maybe you have some feelings!"

Mokuba took a few ragged, panting breaths before he stormed out of the library and slammed the door shut, leaving Seto and Anzu in complete silence. Kaiba remained standing, but Anzu sat down, and after a moment, managed to force out a single syllable.

"Ouch."

Kaiba spun on his heel glare at her fiercely.

"Do you have anything you want to add?" he asked venomously," I'm sure you could think of some more insults."

Anzu's eyes widened and she raised her hands in her defense. In the three years that she had known him, Anzu had never seen Kaiba act so cruelly towards Mokuba, or even speak so sharply to her. Most of those comments and tones were saved for Yugi, Yami, or one of Kaiba's other numerous archrivals.

"Geez, I'm sorry," Anzu said," I didn't mean anything. No, I'm not going to insult you."

"Then what do you want?"

Anzu took a deep breath, and wondered maybe if what she was about to do would fall under the category of attempted suicide.

"I think maybe you should listen to what Mokuba has to say."

Kaiba groaned and flopped into the plush chair, then sent a weak glare in her direction.

"Try listening to what he wants, what he thinks. He's thirteen now."

"What's your point Mazaki?" he asked testily.

Anzu sighed," My point is that Mokuba is growing up, whether you want him to or not. He's starting to be interested in girls and date, starting to form his own ideas of what he wants for a future life, starting to make his own decisions. You need to be a little understanding of the fact that Mokuba's no longer a kid."

Seto glared at her," Who do you think you are, Dr. Phil?"

"No," Anzu said, her temper flaring a little," I'm just a friend of Mokuba's who's concerned about his life and his feelings and well being. Mokuba is going through a lot right now – maybe you didn't go through the same things – but it's hard for him and he needs your support."

There was silence.

"Are you questioning my parenting skills?"

Anzu blinked, and drew back slightly in shock," I'm sorry?"

"You heard me Mazaki; I want to know if you're questioning my parenting skills, because it's sure starting to sound like it."

"I'm not questioning, I just think that you need to maybe be a little more accepting of what he's going through! So far, I don't think you've provided that support, and now he really needs it"

Kaiba shot up from his seat, fists clenched as Mokuba had only a few minutes before," What you're saying is that I'm not raising Mokuba 'the right way,'" his voice was getting icily quiet, and Anzu could see the little red flags raising in her mind, warning her of the danger of the potentially explosive CEO.

"You have no right to tell me what to do with Mokuba – you have no right to tell me how to raise him!" His voice was beginning to get louder and louder," I've raised Mokuba on my own for years! Don't tell me what I can and can't do! What do you know Mazaki?"

Anzu could feel the thin tethers keeping her sense and her calm together slowly being stretched – she didn't think it would take long for them to give away.

"You're nothing but some idiotic cheerleader – you don't know anything about Mokuba!"

_Snap._

Anzu took a deep breath, and let loose.

"I know that he's angry at you – angry because you won't listen to him, angry because you don't understand him, or even try to understand him! I know that if this all keeps up, he's gong to end up hating you! Give him a chance to prove that he's responsible; give him a chance to do what he wants for once! If you keep ordering him around and making him do what you want him to do, then – then, you're no better than your Stepfather was!"

Seto blinked, and Anzu could see the open fury drain out and be replaced by an even more deadly rage. She took a step back – he took a step closer.

"You know nothing," he hissed," Get out."

"GLADLY!" Anzu screamed. She grabbed her bag and pounded out of the library, slamming the door just as Mokuba had.

Anzu walked briskly down the hall, speeding up with each step. She clutched her bag tightly to her chest and looked down at the floor, trying hard to bite back the tears that were struggling to surface for no apparent reason. She and Kaiba had had fights before, but never one this bad. They'd never argued about Mokuba. Kaiba was right, he had raised Mokuba, but then what did that make Anzu – some sideshow friend?

_What are you thinking Mazaki?_ the small voice inside of her head reprimanded _Of course you're just a friend. What is it? Do you want to be something more?_

Hundreds of images flashed through her mind all at once, a kind of cacophonous kaleidoscope of sound and color and things Anzu didn't want to remember but couldn't stop from shoving to the front of her mind.

_Kaiba, holding an umbrella that first day, glaring down at her, looking annoyed. Catching her the next day in English, had that been a look of concern? He accused her of crying, and he'd been right. The look on his face, when she stormed into his house carrying Mokuba. Kaiba had been so kind, as they sat quietly in the library. The way he'd distracted her when he was tending her injuries, manipulative jerk that he was. Then, the pain in his voice as _

_he slowly revealed his past to her, why her? His gaze as he watched her dancing- she _

_had caught him watching more often over the past week and their closeness again in the kitchen and..._

The little voice pervaded her mind again, suddenly not so little. _Do you want to me something more?_

Anzu shook her head, and wiped the mysterious tears from her eyes. They kept coming. Her footsteps continued to pace faster and faster.

"No," she hissed under her breath, trying desperately to convince herself that that single syllable was the truth. Something inside of her didn't fully buy it.

She broke into a full run down the stairs.

* * *

"_And in other news, CEO of NeoCorp, Sebastian Haruka Muhle announced just today that NeoCorp will be establishing a new headquarters in Hong Kong by the end of the year. Recently appointed to head the Eastern European based technology company, Muhle has been implementing some revolutionary changes to its operation. With a strong basis in Western Markets, NeoCorp now strides into one of the center cities of Eastern Trade, promising to become an international giant. Economists expect that this new step will take NeoCorp into the big leagues, becoming a rival to other large technologically based corporations such as the American based Industrial Illusions, run by CEO and founder Maximillion J. Pegasus, and Kaiba Corp, the international tycoon controlled by the young prodigy Seto Kaiba. At a recent press conference, Muhle and his wife Tomoya M-"_

He scowled, and pressed the power button on the TV's remote. The screen went blank with a quiet flick, leaving Kaiba surrounded in the silence of his own vast bedroom. Demurely, he folded the newspaper that he had been trying to read and stood up from his desk. Placing his reading glasses on top of the folded newspaper, Kaiba began to pace around his room, something he did on an almost regular basis. He glanced briefly out the window – welcoming, dark clouds huddled over the cityscape, but for some reason, he had no desire to traverse the soon to be wet, void streets. Something about it just didn't appeal to him at the moment. Knowing his luck, if he did go out on a rain walk, he'd probably run into Anzu.

A thought which consequently brought him back to what Seto had, in his mind, been trying to avoid all day. No matter how many times he paced around his bed, he could never completely banish her from his stream of consciousness. Seto could see her calm face as she tried to explain her opinion on Mokuba, see it turn to hurt anger as he insulted her and she screamed back at him, could hear her shrill voice. But most importantly, he could see her eyes, large and glassy, as she fled from his library, fled from his house.

_Great, so you made her cry again. _His predominant inner voice said, shrugging its proverbial shoulders. _So what? She's just another person who tried to get involved in your life and got hurt – serves her right for thinking that she could run your life better than you could._

Seto paced, never getting dizzy as he went back and forth, his shoes tapping sharply on the cold wood floor.

_So what! _a voice from the back of his mind screamed. It was the little one, the quiet one that only seemed to surface at the least convenient time. _She was just showing a little concern for Mokuba, and all you can do is make her cry. Good job Seto, good job. _

Taking a deep breath, Seto shoved both voices to the back of his mind, where they could quietly argue amongst themselves and not bother him. He was beginning to worry himself slightly with the voices – had his work been driving him crazy? He shook his head, and stopped pacing.

He needed to talk to Mokuba.

The blurred faces of his house staff spun past him as he quickly traversed the long hall of his own mansion. Mokuba's room wasn't very far from his own, but at the moment the single hall that distanced the two seemed to be never ending. Finally, he reached Mokuba's room. Seto knocked and waited.

No reply.

"Mokuba?"

Seto turned the doorknob, and called out once more. Again, no reply. He pushed the door open, and entered his brother's room. Mokuba, while otherwise childish and crazy, was extremely meticulous when it came to his room. Not a thing was out of place. Except for the fact that Mokuba was not in his room.

Seto exited the room and calmly closed the door. _Such things can be explained_, he thought – but even as the thought crossed his mind, his heart began to beat a little faster. A flash of blonde caught his eye, he turned, and the maid that had just walked by stopped and stared at him, awaiting whatever command he might issue. Randomly, Seto remembered that she was the same maid that had assisted Anzu the day she had brought Mokuba, and had taken the place of the fired Helena while retaining her old duties and picking up anything else she could on the side. She would be getting a promotion soon.

"Are you alright Sir?" she asked, although not impudently. His mind snapped back to the matter at hand, and he was hit by a wave of worry.

"Have you seen Mokuba recently," he asked the girl, trying to keep his tone calm.

The maid thought for a moment, before replying," No Sir, not since this morning. I was walking by his room, collecting laundry, and I heard him talking to someone."

Seto blinked. "Did you hear any of the conversation?"

The maid shook her head," No Sir, I'm very sorry, but I did not."

He nodded – his heart was starting to beat hard, pounding blood viciously through his veins.

"Is there anything I can do, Sir?"

Seto thought for a split second," Mokuba's not in his room. Search the top two floors of the mansion, and report back to me as soon as you find him or as soon as you finish."

Without another word, the maid turned from him and headed to the stairs that would lead her to the third and fourth floors of the mansion. Seto entered Mokuba's room again – the maid's comment about Mokuba talking to someone had jogged a thought in Seto's mind. He looked to the night stand next to his brother's bed. Mokuba's cell phone wasn't there.

For the next hour, Seto was consumed by a flurry of action – he searched first and second floors. Every corner, every cabinet, room, bathroom, nook, staircase, kitchen, hallway, everything was searched, and then searched again. He called out to his brother, ignoring the worried looks of the rest of his staff as he paced through each room, pushing furniture around and throwing anything in his way to the ground as if he were a madman. As the maids cleaned up every vase he broke, they were convinced that the elder Kaiba was not just bordering upon insanity – he had crossed the line and was in deep.

"Mokuba!" he screamed, his voice going hoarse. He couldn't hear anything, not even himself – his ears were enveloped by the constant pounding of his frenzied heart. Seto paused in his search long enough to wipe his sweaty palms on his pants, and then started again. He glanced once at a clock's digital readout – _8:30._ Twilight had embraced all of Domino – a thin strip of sun still rest at the horizon, but it was quickly about to be extinguished.

Seto sprinted up the stairs, back up to the second floor, and reached Mokuba's room just as the maid did. A look of concern marred her face, and her eyes were filled with regret as she faced him.

"I'm sorry Mr. Kaiba, but I was unable to find Mr. Mokuba on either of the two top floors. I searched every area known to me twice, but I could find no trace of him."

Without saying anything, Kaiba whipped out his cell phone, and presses the speed dial button. _Why didn't you think of this earlier you idiot?_ the little voice reprimanded.

The house was absolutely silent but for the ringing sound on the other end of Kaiba's phone.

_You've reached Mokuba's phone!_ His brother's cheery prerecorded voice sounded strange to Seto's ears," _I'm not here, so leave a message!_"

Cursing, Seto dialed the museum, praying that, of all people, Isis wouldn't pick up.

"_Good evening, you've reached Domino Museum,_" a scholarly voice said as the other line picked up,_" This is Professor Hopkins speaking, can I help you?"_

"Professor," Seto said tersely," I need to speak to Rebecca. Now."

"_Ah, Mr. Kaiba. I'm afraid that my granddaughter isn't here at the moment, she went out a few hours ago. May I take a message?"_

"Give me her cell phone number." Kaiba had no time for formalities.

The man on the other end sighed," _Unfortunately, for a college student, Rebecca can be rather absent minded. She's forgotten to take her cell phone with her, so even if I gave you her number, the only result it would bring would be us having the conversation again, but using a different phone. I'm quite sorry."_

"Damnnit!" Kaiba hissed, and he forcefully shut his phone, ending the call and no doubt leaving a very confused and very concerned Professor Hopkins.

Seto began to pace, though this time in the hall, his panic open for everyone to see. The maid stood dutifully by, not saying anything as he muttered profanities under his breath.

"I can't call the police…" he said to himself," They can't do anything… why did Mokuba go…"

Suddenly, Seto stopped pacing, eyes wide. He couldn't go to the police. His staff didn't know anything. Mokuba was missing. And he could think of only one person who might know something about it.

"If I'm not back in two hours," he snapped," Call the police and tell them what's happened."

"Yes Sir," the maid said, her voice laced with concern," Where are you going?"

But Seto had already charged down the stairs, out the door, and onto the streets.

* * *

A myriad of bright colors and sounds surrounded Seto, but he was oblivious to everything but his destination. Swirling neon lights stained and distorted his pale face and reflected off of the thick raindrops fell from his hair. His feet pounded on the slick, wet sidewalk, matching the violent beating of his heart. Blue eyes flicked back and forth, absorbing every detail of the street in frenzied motion. The few people that traversed the street scampered out of his way, muttering and yelling as he passed.

Occasionally, amongst the people and the lights and the sounds, he would see a head of black hair, hear a familiar laugh – but no, it was nothing. It was no one.

His feet took him where he needed to go, there was no thought behind his actions. Seto charged up the steps and down the hall, his eyes passing over the numbers on the plaques next to the doors. Abruptly he stopped. Never before had a door seemed so intimidating. He raised his fist to knock, and stopped. There was no way that she'd talk to him. She'd probably just slam the door, before he could explain himself. But desperate times called for desperate measures.

He knocked.

From inside the apartment, he could hear someone yelling. He knocked again, this time louder, more impatient. Every second was precious. The door swung open.

"Jesus, I'm not deaf, you don't need to-"

Blue met blue, and the door slammed shut. Seto groaned and his head hit the door, he knocked again. He was in no mood to deal with this.

"Mazaki!" he shouted," Mazaki, open up!"

A head popped out of the next door apartment, and looked curiously at him. Kaiba shot him a wicked glare, and the head shot back inside.

"_Crawl back to the hole you thrive in Kaiba! I don't want to hear any of your crap tonight!" _came floating through the wood of the apartment door. Seto knocked harder and louder.

"Mazaki, open the door! Let me in!" Kaiba took a ragged breath. He was about to lose it – again. "Anzu!" he screamed," Anzu, open-"

The door flew open.

"What do you want Kaiba?"

Seto scowled, and stared down at Anzu's annoyed face. A tee-shirt hung comfortably over her slim frame, plaid pajama shorts were loose around her waist. Despite her leisurely dress, her eyes were red and watering – she sniffed and brushed away a few stray tears. For a moment, Kaiba felt a pang of sympathy, but it was overridden by his own annoyance.

"Aw, Mazaki, crying over me?" he sneered. Anzu rolled her eyes and sniffled again.

"Hardly. I was plucking my eyebrows." She held out a pair of tweezers, to prove her point. Seto blinked, taken aback. After the events that morning, he was expecting to find Anzu a sniveling mess, but her venomous bite was unchanged. She sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "Get inside and shut the door. I'll get you a towel, 'cause Mai'll be furious if you drip on the carpet."

Dumbstruck, Kaiba stepped in and closed the door. Anzu disappeared into one of the rooms and reappeared a few moments later carrying a thick, fluffy towel. She handed it to him, and sent him a glare.

"Alright, now explain yourself. There has to be some reason why you come pounding at my door like some crazed lunatic at this time of night, and then stand in my doorway and insult me. What's going on?"

"Where's Mokuba?" he asked coldly.

"What? What're you talking about?"

Kaiba rolled his eyes," I want to know where Mokuba is. You're the one who's such good friends with him and Rebecca, you're the one who's on his side and thinks I can't take care of him – if he went to anybody, it would be you, so tell me now. Where is Mokuba?"

Anzu's face turned red, but not in embarrassment," Mokuba's gone? How am I supposed to know where he is?" she clenched her fists," I'm just some idiotic cheerleader who doesn't know anything, isn't that right Kaiba? For your information, I don't think you're raising Mokuba wrong; I'm not trying to conspire anything or turn him against you or whatever other crazy idea you've got! Get a grip you jerk!"

"Don't tell me what to do!" he yelled. He stared into her wide blue eyes, allowing himself to drown in them. It all broke free.

"Mokuba's gone and I don't know where. I looked all over for him, but I can't find him. I searched to mansion, not there. I called his cell phone, but just got his voicemail. I tried Rebecca, but she'd left her cell phone at the museum. I haven't seen him since this morning, since we fought." he sighed, and rubbed his temples. Without asking, Kaiba moved and sat down on the couch. He rubbed his temples, and Anzu sat down next to him.

"We've had disagreements before, but this has been the worst on so far. I bet he hates me – thinking back to what I said, I wouldn't blame him. I'm horrible, an absolute monster."

Anzu frowned," It's about time you realized." she said. He glared at her, and she smirked," it was a joke, just a joke." She took a deep breath, and put a hand on his arm.

"Calm down, and we'll think this through logically. First of all, you're not a bad brother. The two of you, you and Mokuba, are very different. Mokuba's outgoing, social, friendly, and you're… well…" Kaiba's eyes flicked to Anzu's face, and she shrugged," let's face it, you're just not. Also, you grew up in a much stricter atmosphere, courtesy of your stepfather. You two are, in many aspects, vastly different, which causes you to but heads. But, one thing the two of you do share is your stubbornness – that can't be denied. If one of you has an idea in mind, you won't give it up. If one of you thinks that you're right, no one else around you can be right unless they're thinking the same thing." her voice was slow and calm. Kaiba took a deep breath, as if trying to absorb some of her calm nature. She smiled slightly, and squeezed his arm," Don't worry, everything is going to be alright. I'm sure that Mokuba ran out as an act of rebellion – he and Rebecca probably just went to see a late night film. That's the first place we should check, the theaters."

"We?"

Anzu nodded matter of factly, as if nothing else could have been more obvious. "We. You didn't think that I would patiently sit here while you wandered the streets of Domino searching for Mokuba, did you? Wait here a minute, I've got to put on some jeans and grab a coat."

She removed her hand from his arm, and stood up. His arm felt oddly warm, as if just that little bit of contact had seared his flesh. Anzu smiled and walked to another one of the rooms. Seto sat awkwardly on the couch, suddenly feeling out of place amongst the homey feeling of the apartment. All around the living room, he could see small traces of the tenets' existence – evidence that allowed some insight into the lives of Anzu and Mai. On a shelf above the television, a picture of Mai and Jou holding hands on a beach, looking towards the sunset. On the wall closest to him, numerous ribbons and plaques inscribed to both Mai and Anzu – Anzu for dance and academics and Mai for modeling. And there, right in front of him in a small picture frame with the word "Friends" engraved at the top, a picture of Anzu, Mai, Yugi and the rest of the "Nerd herd". Kaiba scowled – in the picture, Bakura had an arm around Anzu's waist while her own arm lay across his shoulders. Even though the picture was slightly blurry, he could see the shine in Anzu's eyes, and the brightness of her smile.

_What's taking her so long?_ he thought, tapping his fingers on the couch agitatedly. _Mokuba is Lord-knows-where, hasn't made any attempt to contact me, and Anzu is wasting time getting dressed!_

Kaiba was starting to get anxious, but something kept him from just getting up and leaving. Instead, he pulled open the drawer of the coffee table in front of him and started to sort through its contents. _Magazine, Tv Guide, brochure from a modeling agency, picture, magazine – wait…_

Seto flipped back to the picture he had just passed. It was worn and wrinkled, showing signs of age and neglect. In it were two girls – one that was obviously Anzu at about the age of twelve, and another, older but bearing resemblance to Anzu, maybe a sister or cousin – in matching dresses and berets, seated formally on a stone bench. Behind them, a man and a woman, also dressed formally stood. Everyone in the picture was smiling fakely, with the exception of Anzu, who looked rather impassive about the whole thing. Kaiba imagined that the man and woman were Anzu's parents, but-

the sound of the front door closing," Anzu didn't say that she was having a guest over." The sweet voice tinted with suggestion left no doubts to who the owner was – Mai Kujaku, Anzu's roommate.

"Good Evening Mai," he replied, not knowing what else to say. He hurriedly shoved the picture back into the coffee table drawer and shut it before Mai saw.

"So, tell me, what are you doing here Kaiba?" she asked, not unkindly. Mai sat her purse on the kitchen table and came to sit in the loveseat next to the couch.

"I-"

"Mai, you're home!" Anzu suddenly exclaimed, coming out of her room and saving Kaiba an explanation. Mai smirked and crossed his arms.

"You didn't tell me Kaiba was going to be over, otherwise I would have stayed out a little later and let you guys have some more time."

Kaiba's eyes widened, and Anzu blushed a fierce crimson red. Mai chuckled, but was cut off by Anzu's serious tone.

"Not now Mai, this is important." Anzu began to pull on a sweater as she spoke," Mokuba's gone missing. Kaiba and I are going to go out and search some of the city to see if we can't maybe track him or Rebecca down. While we're out, can you call Yugi, Jou and the others? Just tell them to keep an eye out for Mokuba or Rebecca, and call me if they see him, or if he comes to them. It wouldn't surprise me if Mokuba and Rebecca went to Yugi's."

Mai nodded, and stood up from the loveseat. From seeing her duel, Kaiba knew that despite Mai's outgoing and flirtatious mannerisms, she could be clever, serious, and fast on her feet.

"Take you phone with you." she said" I'll call you if I hear anything." Mai grabbed the phone and began to dial – it was obvious she knew the numbers by heart.

Anzu glanced to Kaiba, who had stood up from the couch and was arranging the wet towel on its back.

"Are you ready?" she asked, her voice like flint.

Kaiba scowled. "Let's go."

Without another word, they left the apartment and raced down the stairs. The rain battered them like a barrage of arrows – Anzu pulled her sweater a little closer as they moved down the street. Kaiba walked quickly in front of her, and Anzu could see that even though Kaiba was trying to project an air of calm, he was panicking. She looked ahead of her, to where the rain captured the burning lights of the city and reflected them back in a softer haze. Large buildings loomed all around her, and the street seemed to stretch on infinitely. Never before had Domino seemed so large, so daunting. Finding Mokuba was not going to be easy.

* * *

See now, that wasn't too bad, now was it? I hope it was enough to satiate the hunger that has been growing within your fanfiction bellies over the past two months. I'd love some feedback on Anzu and Kaiba's characters – I feel kind of awkward with them right now, but then again, they're kind of at an awkward stage… on the edge of awakening, maybe?

Read and Review. Please?

Oh. And don't worry. It won't take me two months to update again.

RR

P.S. For those users who review, I will do my best to reply!


	11. Reunion

Hello everybody! I do realize that this close to the holiday season, it may be difficult to read and review, so don't worry about it if you don't have time! Like I promised, I updated before February, and might even be able to update again. This isn't a very long chapter, but it's relatively intense… for a romantic drama. See the author's notes (coughrantscough) at the end!

A quick note to my two awesome betas, aherocansaveus and Jean-Luc Lover – Um, hi? I just wanted to thank you both for your help and advice! I was really anxious to get this chapter out, so please don't be offended that I didn't use your help this time around. But don't worry (or maybe you should) I will come calling soon! Thanks!

Alright, read, relish, and review!

Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays to all!

RR

* * *

Like the Rain, by Revolutionnaire Rouge

Chapter Eleven – Reunion

* * *

For the second time that night, Kaiba found himself sprinting down the slick sidewalks of Domino City, desperately searching. The only difference this time was that Anzu was running next to him. A vague sense of surprise at the fact that she could keep pace with him fluttered across the edge of his thoughts, but it was quickly pushed away by the more important matters at hand. They were headed in the direction of the theater – a place that Kaiba had been to only once before. He let his feet guide him to his destination, and hoped that they would go the right way; if not, he imagined Anzu would get him back on track.

The crowd that traversed the sidewalks had grown thicker – people were dressed and ready for a night on the town, and the light haze of rain wasn't going to stop them. Seto batted away a large raindrop that was hanging off an eyelash and obscuring his view.

The two had been running in silence, sparing no breath for unneeded words. Each understood the other, and more importantly understood the goal. They reached a busy intersection, and came to a slower pace then stopped. Kaiba looked wildly around at his surroundings – the garish lights of the city and the rushing activity around him served only to confuse him. Seto looked left, then right, and chose the right. He began to run again.

"Kaiba!" Anzu screamed at him tersely," Theater, left!"

He scowled, and turned back around to face her. She made a gesture to her left, and began to squeeze through a group of people waiting to cross at the intersection. Kaiba rolled his eyes and followed but made no protests – he knew that this was no time to argue with Anzu, especially not about something that she was probably right about anyway. He pushed through the crowd, ignoring the protests, and quickly caught up with her. The crowd thinned away for a few blocks as they moved away from the main road and the big intersections.

Suddenly, he felt his pants pocket begin to vibrate. He stopped, but Anzu didn't notice. Pulling out his buzzing phone, he said a silent prayer and flipped it open.

_1 New Txt Msg_ the digital display read.

His eyes widened as they scanned the message. He read it again, and then reread a few more times. _No…no…_ He took a shuddering breath and looked away from the screen, which now seemed to be cruelly mocking him.

"Anz-" he started, but his words faltered. Seto breathed in slowly, and tried again," Mazaki!"

Anzu stopped, and spun around to face him, her face filled with a kind of wild desperation, an anxiety that seemed to encompass the entire search. Kaiba opened his mouth to speak, but no words issued forth, so instead he just held out his cell phone. She trotted back to him, her animalistic expression melting into something more faithful. She carefully took his cell phone, and scanned the message on the lit screen. Her azure eyes widened.

_We have them. An alley off of 3rd and Broad. Come alone, or they will both die._

Her eyes moved from the screen to her face – they were swimming with disbelief and panic.

"No," she hissed," no, this can't – it has to be a hoax or something. A set up, in order to get you or something. I'm sure Mokuba is at the theater, watching a movie or, or-"

Her eyes flicked back and forth, between the phone, his face, and the streets.

"Of course they're trying to get me. But Mokuba-" he tried to choke back a small sob, and Anzu's eyes widened even farther than he had thought anatomically possible. "They have Mokuba. And Rebecca too. Anzu, this message – it was sent from Mokuba's phone."

He stared down at her, trying hard to slow down his brain, which was flying back and forth from thought to thought at a violently dangerous speed. She looked up at him, and he stayed focused on the blue of her eyes. Seto concentrated, only thinking about those two cerulean circles until finally he was able to grasp a more coherent thought from the maddening twists of his consciousness. Here he was, Seto Kaiba, youngest CEO in the business, one of the most powerful men in the world, being brought down to his knees by one little boy, or, more accurately, the absence of one little boy. One of his inner voices – he couldn't tell which one – reprimanded him for such foolishness, but it was drowned out by one driving mantra that had existed in his mind for years, and was now pounding out, pulsating through his entire body as if it were blood through his veins.

_Protect Mokuba at all costs._

Kaiba blinked, but didn't look away from Anzu. He'd made up his mind.

"I'm going," he said brusquely," and you are not."

Anzu broke eye contact with him, but he was able to see the flame of fury that had leapt up within them.

"What!" she screamed, her voice carrying through the street and reverberating off the buildings surrounded them. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but no words issued forth. Instead, she clenched her fists.

"You read the same message I did Mazaki," Kaiba said, scowling. He really had no time for this," You know what the consequences will be if you come. Now go back to your apartment, and I'll call you when I get Mokuba and Rebecca back."

"The only place I'm going," she said through grit teeth," Is with you, to find Mokuba."

"No. You'll be too big of a risk!"

Anzu put her hands on her hips, and glared up at him," A risk? If anything, I'd be helping you! I'm just a little, defenseless girl. Do you honestly think that whoever it is would try and hurt me or something?"

Kaiba grabbed her arm, and squeezed hard, causing Anzu to let out a sharp hiss of pain.

"Just a little, defenseless girl, huh? Well that didn't stop them last time, now did it Mazaki?" he growled.

He released her arm and she clutched it too her chest, looking up at him with wide eyes. "But-"

"But nothing. Look, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of this myself, without putting you at risk." he rolled his eyes," The last thing I need is another person to have to worry about."

"Ha, like you'd ever worry about me," she said with a snort," You know what? I'm going to go." she turned from him and began to walk away, pausing only once to throw a vicious glare over her shoulder," You had better call me once you find Mokuba and Rebecca, or I will hunt you down."

"Fine," he said, and began to walk in the direction of Broad Avenue.

* * *

Anzu quickly rounded the corner, and stopped. She spun and poked her head out around, watching as Kaiba got further and further away. Rolling her eyes, she stepped away from the corner and began to trail him from afar. Kaiba crossed the street, completely ignorant of the honking of car horns and the squeal of tires as he stepped into the flow of traffic. Nonetheless he stepped safely onto the opposite sidewalk – Anzu scampered across the street a moment later. She pressed herself up against the wall the best she could and continued to follow him. Anzu wasn't exactly sure where they were headed, but Kaiba seemed to. He walked stiff backed, his footfalls fast and heavy, showing no sign of hesitation.

Anzu and Kaiba were now alone on the street. The vast emptiness of her surroundings unnerved her – Anzu felt as if at any moment she might be attacked by some unknown, malicious entity. She reasoned that that was partially true, as with each step she and Kaiba were drawing closer to Mokuba and Rebecca's kidnappers.

From the sound of his footsteps Anzu could tell that Kaiba was speeding up, leaving her to wonder if they were nearing their goal. She was unfamiliar with the address, but Kaiba seemed to have no doubts. His tall figure grew smaller and smaller as the distance between them widened and Anzu sped up for fear of losing sight of him. She tried her hardest to keep her steps light. If he found out that she was tailing him, he would be furious. That was the last thing either of them needed.

Kaiba turned the corner, disappearing from sight. Anzu broke into a run, oblivious to the black shadow which now darkened her surroundings. She sharply turned the corner as Kaiba had only a few moments ago. Her eyes widened as her new environment flashed before her. Anzu made an attempt to stop, but the momentum she had built caused her to take a few stumbling steps before she was finally able to come to a halt. The street had opened up into a circular plaza. In the center of the plaza water cascaded down from the open mouth a Blue Eyes White dragon into a low basin. Rain streaked down the dragon's twisted body, catching the light and giving the white marble creature a life like sheen. Above her loomed an enormous obelisk, a dark mass even blacker than the night that framed it. Even in the darkness, her location was unmistakable.

"_Kaiba Corp," _she breathed, almost afraid to speak the words,"_ Of course. Of course they would bring Kaiba to the place where it would hit the hardest."_

Despite the rhythmic flow of the nearby water, the Kaiba Corporation Industrial Plaza was as still and oppressive as the image of Death. Anzu could feel the tension that surrounded the area press in on her, trying to squeeze the very life and breath out of her. Frantically, she spun around, searching amongst the shadows for a single familiar figure.

As her eyes swept the plaza, they caught on a single reflection of light, a single shine in the depth of the dark. The reflection of a distant street light on a intersection sign.

_Third… and Broad… _the thought heaved forth to the front of her jumbled mind as her eyes repeatedly scanned the signpost. Anzu suddenly realized that that was her destination, her goal, and she mentally screamed to her legs to move. She could feel her legs protest, she felt them firmly planted on the ground below her, not moving, not budging.

And then she heard the voices.

Anzu sprung into action, racing to the alley of the intersection. _He's there. They're there,_ her mind chanted to the rhythm of her pounding feet. She drew nearer, until she could see a faint light coming from the end of an alley. She was there.

Anzu skidded to a halt, and tucked herself quietly behind a thick lamppost, the bulb of which had burned out. She sent up a silent prayer that the light would be too dim for any of Mokuba's kidnappers to see her in her pathetic hiding place.

Five men. Not four, but five. Six, if she counted Kaiba, who stood at the front of the alley, nearest to Anzu. They were all dressed in the same fashion as those who had attacked Mokuba and Anzu a week ago – Anzu had no doubt in her mind that at least four of the five were the same men. Kaiba was breathing heavily, and being held by two of the largest looking, who seemed to be struggling to keep him under control. Kaiba tossed his back in rage, and Anzu was able to catch a glimpse of the unrepressed animal ferocity that burned in his brightly intense sapphire eyes. Anzu shivered despite herself, and wondered at how the two men could even hold him back.

"I'd stop struggling if I were you, Mr. Kaiba," a mockingly silky voice called out from the back of the alley. The dim light brightened, revealing a richly dressed man looming over two chairs upon which Mokuba and Rebecca were chained. The man was young but unattractive, with a narrow face resembling a rat and a mass of blonde hair tied back and thrown over his shoulder. Seto lunged forward and let out a twisted shout of rage, but was stopped by the third man and fourth man. The fifth man walked over and stood next to Mokuba, gun pointed unfalteringly at him. In one fluid motion, the young man drew a well used looking gun from his pocket and directed towards Kaiba's chest.

"My name, Mr. Kaiba, is Axel Frei. German, but my Japanese is flawless, wouldn't you agree?" the man rolled his eyes and chuckled," But never mind that. I have little time for formalities. Now, I suppose you're wondering what I want with you and your family. Well Kaiba, it can't be that hard to imagine, now can it? You have it all – money, fame, a legacy, and most importantly, a reputation."

Anzu gripped the lamppost, her hands tightening around its sides with every word. Fear had settled quite easily into her stomach. She knew the type of man that Frei was, and she knew that he would not give up until he got what he wanted. Or until he was permanently stopped.

"I'll give you anything," Seto spat, staring at Frei loathingly," My money, my success, my company, and of it. Just give me back Mokuba and Rebecca."

Anzu looked more closely at Mokuba and Rebecca. They were both bound and gagged, which would explain why neither Mokuba nor Rebecca had gone into some kind of verbal rage.

Frei's face lit up in amusement, and he chuckled," Your money? Your success?" his mocking grin sunk into a vengeful scowl," I want nothing of it. The only thing I want is to see you motionless in a pool of blood at my feet. What do you think, is that a fitting end for a man such as you, Seto Kaiba? Dying in an alley in front of your only living relative so close to the center of the very empire you built?"

Suddenly, Anzu felt a hard, cold circle press deep into the base of her neck. She needn't guess as to what it was – she knew. She had been caught.

"Ever hear the phrase 'Curiosity Killed the Cat'? I was wondering if you'd show your face again after what you did to me and the others." a rough voice said from behind her. A large hand grabbed her injured arm, and the muzzle of the gun dug even deeper into her skin. The man – Anzu guessed that he was the sixth man – pushed her away from the lamppost and closer to the alley and Seto. Instinct kicked in, and Anzu swung her free arm back, managing to hit the man in the face. As she struggled, she could hear Frei's words.

"I think that this will be the perfect end for you Kaiba. Die in the alley like the dirty beast you are!"

"Hey, Frei!" her captor shouted," Look what I found! Remember this wench?"

Distracted by the sudden interruption, Frei pulled the trigger. It hit its target perfectly.

The man holding Kaiba on the left suddenly let out a moan of pain, and pulled away from Seto to grab his right arm. Anzu saw the shiny red liquid between the man's fingers, and she knew. Frei had aimed for Seto. He had gotten distracted. He missed.

Seto yelled and flung the single man who held onto him a good two yards away, then turned to stare at Anzu and her captor. The man who had captured Anzu gripped her even tighter, and raised the gun to her temple. Seto took a step forward.

"Here to come and rescue your little wench Kaiba?" the man drawled.

And all hell broke lose.

* * *

As soon as Frei had pulled the trigger, Seto's mind had gone blank. Everything – the rushing images of his life up to that point, his jumbled emotions and his screaming inner voices – drained away completely, funneled out of his brain like water down a sink drain. Even at that moment it had seemed rather ridiculous, but Seto could _see_ the bullet moving toward him, inching ever so slowly, as if the wiping of all thoughts from his consciousness had managed to slow time too.

He hadn't heard the man who had spoken behind him, but as the bullet – the very harbringer of his demise – drew nearer, he became aware of the secondary presence. Seto didn't need to turn around, not as though he would have had time, to tell who it was.

As suddenly as his mind has blanked it returned, roaring and kicking in all of its spinning visual splendor. One thought was able to make itself heard above the rushing noise of his reloaded mind.

_Anzu._

The thought crossed his mind just as the bullet hit – not him, but the lackey to his left. His mind came to a screeching halt as Seto suddenly realized what had happened. Frei had missed, and hit the man next to him instead. The man swore violently and carelessly pulled away from Seto, leaving his arm free. On instinct, Seto let out a roar, and flung the man who still clung to him away, using his new physical freedom as leverage. Although burly, the man flew a good distance before hitting the alley wall with a sickening thud. However, Seto paid no attention to it; instead he spun to face Anzu, who he knew was behind him, and her captor.

His eyes locked with hers, and Seto could see from her blank stare that Anzu's mind was going through what his had just recovered from. It was wiping itself clean. Preparing itself for death. The movement of the man who held her tore Seto's eyes from hers – the man had raised the gun to her temple, a nervous smirk crossing his thick face. Seto stepped forward, his mind whizzing through all of the possible actions he could take.

"Here to come rescue your little wench Kaiba?"

Kaiba launched into a roundhouse kick aimed at the man's head, and at the exact same moment Anzu ducked, as if she had been expecting the maneuver. Her captor's arms flew back, and he let out a grunt before crashing to the ground. Anzu tore free of his loosened grip and, without even looking to Kaiba, ran down the alley. Kaiba turned and followed, his mind calculating. Three of the men had been taken out, his and Anzu's captors, leaving the man who guarded Mokuba and Rebecca, the two others, and Frei himself.

A round of bullets whizzed by his head as Frei and two of the men hurriedly shot at him – however, their aim wasn't good enough now that Seto was moving. With muted amazement, he watched Anzu dart down the alley and take out the man who held the gun over Mokuba and Rebecca with a few sharp blows to the stomach. She fell to her knees and began to untie the two, Frei and the other two men completely oblivious to her presence. The three had one goal, made obvious to Seto as the shoots came closer and closer to his skull.

From the corner of his eye, her saw Anzu throw something towards him and, as if they were connected, he caught it, knowing immediately from its heft what the object was. He pointed the gun at his assailants. The ring of shots stopped, and Frei lowered his gun to sneer.

"Getting bold, aren't you Kaiba? You claim intelligence - surely you must realize that you're outnumbered three to one."

Seto sent a dangerously cold glare," I can count Frei, I'm quite aware of the numbers. But may I remind you that it used to be two to seven?"

The word _two_ seemed to jar Frei's memory, and he turned to where Anzu had just finished freeing Rebecca. Mokuba was on his newly reclaimed cell phone, barking an order to whoever was on the other line in a rather Kaiba-like fashion.

Seto took advantage of his enemy's moment of distraction and sprung forward before either of the others could react. He jammed the muzzle of the gun against Frei's forehead, and pushed him until he was against the back wall of the alley.

"Drop the gun," Seto hissed, his voice as steely as his eyes. The two men flanking Frei spun to point their guns at Kaiba, but no one fired. Frei grinned and let his gun fall to the ground. No one moved to pick it up.

"Time for a short question and answer round," Seto said, completely expressionless.

"I'm game," Frei replied, his cocky grin still plastered on.

"Who are you?"

Frei rolled his eyes," Haven't I already told you Kaiba? I didn't think that you forgot so quickly. My name is Axel Frei. Does that answer your question?"

Kaiba didn't bat an eyelash at the other man's careless reply," Who sent you?"

"No one sent me," Frei said with a shrug," I sent myself."

"What do you want from me?" Kaiba growled, his hand tightening around the gun.

Frei narrowed, and for once his mask of composure slipped to reveal full throttle fury," Nothing your life can't give me. You already took away my life, my parents, and my company. The only thing I want is you dead." he said venomously," Any other questions?"

Suddenly, the wail of sirens echoed through the alley. Kaiba smirked, and glanced to his brother and the others, who were already running towards the Kaiba Corp Security Force.

"Nope. I told you it would be short."

Scowling, Frei turned to his two associates, who were still armed," Drop the guns men," he commanded," It seems Mr. Kaiba here is cowardly enough to call the police."

"You insult me," Kaiba growled," I would never call the police. This is my own security team."

Kaiba took a few steps back, and allowed his team to take over. The three men were swarmed, and taken captive in a matter of seconds. He felt something drop onto his head and stir his already mussed hair. Seto looked up, but was forced to look down again as stinging rain drops bit into his eyes.

_It rained._

He turned, and sent one final glance to his team, who had things well under control. Walking to the front of the alley, Seto approached his brother, who had one hand holding up his cell phone and one arm clutching Rebecca close to him. She had both arms wrapped around her waist, and was quietly sobbing, the events of the evening finally grating over her normally cool composure.

"You don't need to call the police Mokuba," Seto said, sternly but softly," Everything is under control."

Mokuba looked up to his older brother with watery eyes, and mumbled a confirmation into the phone, then flipped it shut.

"I know," he whispered," But we'll be in trouble if we don't get the law involved."

The two stared at each other for a moment, understanding and amendments silently communicated. Without a word, Rebecca pulled away from Mokuba, and gave him a kiss on the cheek before walking over to one of the security members to report what had happened.

Seto fell to his knees, not caring as the water soaked his clothing even more, and wrapped Mokuba in an embrace. Mokuba wrapped his arms around his brother and held tightly. He took a few, drawn out shuddering breaths, but no tears escaped his dark eyes as he laid his head on Seto's shoulder.

"_I'm sorry,"_ he breathed, the rain sliding down his face in tear-like streams,"_ I'm sorry…"_

Seto's head stopped spinning. He didn't blank, nor lose thought – it all just stopped. Despite the rain he could see with perfect clarity, he could hear each breath, each footstep. A sense of familiarity settled upon his shoulders. Seto felt suddenly whole, as if a missing piece of him had been restored. He felt his heart beat again. He hadn't even realized that it had stopped.

"_Mokuba."_ Seto said, his voice kind,_" I love you kiddo."_

Mokuba let out a small but relieved laugh, and hugged his brother even tighter.

"_I love you too."_

"Never do that again, ok?" Seto asked, pulling his brother away slightly so that he could look him in the eyes.

Mokuba rolled his glazed eyes," Of course Nii-san, because I wanted that to happen."

Seto chuckled, and hugged his younger brother again. Mokuba sighed.

"I don't know what's become of you big brother," he said, smiling weakly," Waving guns around, beating people up, getting all soaked in the rain. Well, I guess the last part's not unusual, but still. I thought you always told me that violence isn't the answer."

"And I'm still saying that kiddo." Seto ruffled the younger boy's hair," Well, I suppose you weren't too emotionally traumatized – you're still making sarcastic remarks."

Mokuba laughed," Yea, I guess so. But I never want that to happen again."

"Good," Seto said with a nod," And it won't be happening again, seeing as you're grounded for life now."

"Niiii-saaannnn," Mokuba whined," That's not fair!"

Behind them, Seto could hear the whine of police sirens and the shouts of the new arrivals. Seto stood up, and looked down at his brother.

"I certainly think it is. Now go and comfort your girlfriend – she looks frazzled – and we'll discuss this later."

Mokuba's eyes widened at what seemed to be Seto's approval of Rebecca, and nodded. Seto turned as Mokuba trotted over to Rebecca, and began to order the events in his mind, so that he could testify to the police. Already, some of his team were dragging a furious looking Frei and his all of his lackeys to the police. A mass of people in uniform crowded around the front of the alley, and were constantly moving back and forth. The sounds and the lights and the people were almost overwhelming – it seemed to Seto as if he had walked onto the site of a murder scene, not a kidnapping. Everyone bustled around him busily, each person knowing their task and moving purposely. He scanned the crowd for the head of the police group that had just arrived. Something caught his eye, snagged, and tugged him back. Blue orbs rested on a soaked and bedraggled figure, out of place. On impulse, Seto drew nearer.

"You look wet," he said, his sarcastic edge softened as he caught a glance from her unexpectedly dull blue eyes.

_Anzu._

"Look who's talking," she mumbled. Anzu hung her head, her eyes fixated at some invisible mar on the pavement below. Never before had Seto seen her so dejected, so lifeless. For once he wished that she would respond to his banter.

"You should have brought an umbrella."

Anzu clenched her fists and took a shallow, gasping breath. Her entire body shuddered.

"You were right," she whispered, a small sob in her voice," I should have gone back. I should have gone back to the apartment and waited. Like the moron that I am, I totally screwed everything up. You were right; it was risky for me to come. Mokuba and Rebecca could have been killed all becau-"

"Look at me."

Anzu squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head violently, spraying water everywhere as she did so.

"No, I co-"

"Look at me Anzu," Seto commanded, no hesitation in his steely tone. Anzu took another gasping breath, and clenched her fists even tighter, until they were white and shaking. Suddenly, her head flung up, and he was assaulted with a pair of blazing sapphire eyes. Seto saw the raw Anzu Mazaki, a person that he had never even imagined, in those eyes. He could read every emotion – pain, anger, sorrow, confusion, helplessness, guilt, and something, something that he just couldn't place.

"What do you want _Seto?_" she said, hissing out his name," Do you want to gloat? Say you were right? Go ahead, because yo-"

"Don't be an idiot Anzu."

Anzu's pale face flushed in anger, and she took a step nearer. Seto wondered how close Anzu was to drawing blood from her tight fists.

"You know as well as I do that if you hadn't come, Frei would have shot me. He wouldn't have missed. If you hadn't come, I would be sprawled out dead in a puddle of my own blood at the back of the alley –"Anzu flinched at this description," and Mokuba and Rebecca would be Lord knows where. So stop selling yourself short."

Something in Anzu's eyes flickered and died, leaving her looking simply lost and confused. Her eyes went glassy, and she choked back a sob. She lowered her eyes, and then her head.

"_I was scared."_ she whispered.

Seto blinked, taken aback. He moved a step closer, closing the gap between them. Anzu suddenly buried her face into his shirt. Unclenching her fists she clung to some of the material of his shirt, and pressed up against him. Her body shook with heavy, uncontrollable sobs, and Seto could feel warm tears soak into his shirt. Everything else seemed to slow down, until all Seto could focus on was the two of them. Rain pelted them from above, stung his eyes as he looked up to the heavens for some kind of answer.

"This rainy season…" Anzu said shakily," is making us all crazy, isn't it?"

Seto couldn't help but chuckle slightly. Anzu's sobs grew heavier as she loosed everything that had welled up inside. A foreign emotion intruded onto Seto's thoughts, and demanded that he comfort her. Seto hesitated, but then suddenly gave in.

He wrapped his arms around Anzu. Seto could feel her tense under his sudden touch. He himself felt more than a little awkward, but as her sobs quieted and her breathing calmed, he began to feel more comfortable.

"Yes Anzu. I guess it has."

* * *

Wow! How about some craziness? To be honest, I got really annoyed with this chapter about half way through its creation. I realized how far that this chapter and some of the others had strayed from my actual planned plot... the whole 'Mokuba getting caught and kidnapped and Anzu and Kaiba kicking butt' just kind of popped out. I introduced the men in the black suits, and then realized afterwards that I had to deal with them. And let me tell you, that was a pain.

Anyway, December 26th is my birthday. I'm not going to tell you how old I am, but I would love for you all to guess! I'm just kind of curious to see how old you all think that I am… Of course, even if you guys guess right, I won't tell, because I'm actually uptight about internet safety. But I'm curious. Ha ha…

Okay, well, I suppose that's all. I'm done with this big action stuff.

We pardon this interruption. You may now return to your regularly scheduled drama.

RR


	12. The Only Difference

Hey Everyone, I'm back! Contrary to popular belief, I did not abandon fanfiction, was not killed, and was not abducted by aliens and replaced with an inert rock. I'll only offer my apologies for the shamefully long time it took in getting this chapter out – all I can say in my defense is: a busy school year, an emotional melt down and reformation, three weeks in India (I'm not Indian though, in case you might be wondering) and a week in Minnesota. This year has been ever crazier than I ever expected, and I'm afraid it might only get worse. School starts in August, and will be intense, but until then, you all ca expect some more frequent updates! Well, enough with me, on to the story!

Just a note – Thank you to all of my reviewers. Please forgive if this chapter has some issues, it isn't beta approved, only author created. It's in the raw.

Jean-Luc Lover – Thank you so much for your help! I just don't know if everything will work out, just because of who I am. Once I finish a chapter, I'm anxious to get it out, and therefore don't spend time editing… sorry…

Dedicated to Nii-san. I'm glad everything worked out, otherwise this chapter might have never been finished. Love ya.

RR

* * *

Like The Rain, By Revolutionnaire Rouge

Chapter Twelve – The Difference Between Hearing, and Listening

* * *

"This rainy season…" Anzu said shakily," Is making us all crazy, isn't it?"

Above her, Kaiba chuckled ever so slightly. They were standing close, and she still clung to the fabric of his shirt. She could feel the heat radiating from him; feel his heavy breath across her cheeks, feel his upturned eyes move down to focus on her face. Anzu felt another wave of emotion surge up and then break, crashing down on her in a violent dark rage. The pressure made her knees buckle slightly, and she buried her head once again into his chest and sobbed, not caring what he thought or how he acted. Anzu expected him to stiffen, or completely push her away, but instead…

She stiffened slightly as she felt his arms circle around her, not to hurt or to deny, but to comfort. The embrace startled her, but she slowly relaxed as she basked in the reassurance. Her breathing became more even, her sobs dwindled until she was simply leaning against him for support. Anzu didn't look up at him – she was too shocked, and too confused. There was no way that his intentions could be misinterpreted. He was trying to calm her, which, in some ways, panicked her more.

"Yes Anzu," he said, his voice barely above a low whisper," I guess it is."

They fell into silence, and despite the noisy chaos taking place all around them, Anzu seemed to be able to hear each rain drop as it hit the pavement, ending their already short lived rain existences. The rain came down harder and faster. The cries of each pelting drop merged together into a symphony of voices, each singing its own somber requiem.

Anzu was brought back into the reality she had temporarily managed to escape by the sound of heavy footfalls. She moved her head so that she could see who was approaching. The man was short and squat, older, and uniformed, showing himself to be one of the Domino Police. From what she could see, Anzu guessed that the man was the head of the squad which had come in on Mokuba's request. She could feel Seto stiffen slightly as the man stopped before him.

"Mr. Kaiba, Sir," the man said, his voice high pitched despite his heavy set build," I will need to speak to both you and your-" he glanced to Anzu, his narrowed eyes taking in everything," your girlfriend, individually. While the reports from your brother and Miss Hawkins should be a sufficient conviction, we will need your input on what occurred tonight."

Seto stood up straight, his wide eyes burning like the blue heart of a flame. He gently pushed Anzu away and turned to stare directly and the smaller man," No."

The officer blinked, and drew back slightly, a mixture of confusion at being denied and fear of Kaiba evident on his face.

"I'm sorry Sir, but it's procedure."

"Mazaki is not my girlfriend," Kaiba said, staring the man down.

An unreadable expression crossed the C.E.O.'s face while the police officer looked between Anzu and Kaiba.

"I- Please forgive me f-for the mistake, Mr. Kaiba," he stuttered," But t-that still doesn't change pr-procedure. We'll need to speak with both of you. Individually."

The sudden fear of being alone swept Anzu back up into the raging tides of emotion – she threw her arms around Kaiba and clung tightly, looking up at him with a lost expression. Kaiba stared back down at her, looking more startled than she had ever seen him, but did not push away nor reprimand. He gazed down at her pleading expression for another moment, then focused his attention back to the man.

"You will interview us together." Seto said, his voice hard-edged.

The police officer blinked, taken aback, and then shook his head weakly," No, no Sir. All interviews must be done individually, to assure evidence credibility."

Kaiba scowled, and glanced down to see that Anzu was doing the same.

"The evidence will be just as credible whether it's given together or alone," Anzu said, her voice containing an air of commanding strength despite the fact that it barely rose above the rain's continuing sonata," Kaiba and I were at the same place, involved in the same event. There will not be – there could not be – any sort of discrepancy."

Her words showed her growing calm, but Anzu still held tight to Kaiba, afraid as though letting go of him might cause her to lose herself in the wailing sounds of sirens and rain.

The officer opened his mouth to speak, then closed and opened it again before he was able to formulate words," Ah- ah- I'm afraid that that would be completely against-"

"We will be interviewed together."

Kaiba took a step forward, and glared down at the small man. Anzu could see the eyes of the dragon flash as the cold, blue flames of his words bore down on the officer, melting down every resolution into a weakly smoldering lump. She couldn't help but smirk slightly as the officer's face went pale, and his knees shook. Too often had she seen the effects of Kaiba's razor edge personality on others, and too often had she been one of those victims.

"V-very well, Sir," the man stuttered, starting to step back in an attempt to escape the ferocity of the C.E.O.'s gaze," Both of you, p-please follow me."

Kaiba nodded silently and the man turned away. He pushed himself into the swarm of people who moved through the alley, and Kaiba and Anzu followed, Anzu still attached to him like an extra limb. Anzu caught a brief glimpse of Mokuba and Rebecca speaking with another group of police officers, and saw how tightly Mokuba held to Rebecca, but the image was swept away as quickly as it had come into the swirling influx of people and sounds. She had no idea where she was being led to, but simply stayed close to Kaiba, trusting herself not to let go as he followed the police officer. An unmistakable blonde head broke through the crowd, and Mai was suddenly at her side, keeping pace with Kaiba, who had not stopped. Mai's violet eyes were wide with a panicked confusion.

"Anzu, the police called and I came down as fast as I could, are you alright?"

Anzu nodded dumbly, feeling less alone now that both Kaiba and Mai were here.

"I'm fine, j-just a little shell shocked," she stared up at her friend," Are Ryou or any of the others here?"

Mai shook her head," No. I was only able to get a hold of Yugi at the shop. Marik and Shizuka were out, Jou was with Honda and Duke at some Duel Monsters tournament, Ryou's working, and I don't know where Yami was, but he wasn't home."

Thinking of all of the others made Anzu's head twinge. She had little doubt as to where Yami might be.

"We've got to get interviewed by the police," Anzu said, panting slightly as she struggled to keep up with the still silent Kaiba. Mai nodded.

"Good, and then you can tell me what the heck is going on."

Anzu looked to her roommate and friend, her eyes desperate and pleading at the same time," I'll try," she said.

The police officer stopped, and Kaiba stopped in front of him, signifying to Anzu that their walk was over. Anzu sent a meaningful glance to Mai, and Mai gave Anzu a quick hug before melting back into the mass of people. The officer stuck a hand into the crowd and pulled out a frazzled looking younger officer.

"Officer Yon will be asking you some questions about what happened tonight," the older officer said, his annoyance and discomfort both apparent. The younger man shot the older a confused look, but said nothing to his obvious superior.

"Yon, you will be questioning both Mr. Kaiba and his-" the man blanched as Kaiba and Anzu both glared at him," acquaintance together."

"But Sir," Yon gaped, staring at the other officer," That's-"

"I know, I know," he snapped, obviously feeling more empowered now that he was not addressing Kaiba," It's against procedure, but just do it!" He turned, and merged back into the crowd, but not before a briefly mumbling," And I'll probably lose my job for it."

"And then we'd all be better off," Anzu mumbled not-so-quietly. Yon smirked, and Anzu could feel Kaiba shake slightly in a silent chuckle. The officer turned back to glare at her, but said nothing.

* * *

"Are you going to be alright?"

Anzu jumped, startled out of her silent reverie. Turning away from the tinted window and its view of the wet, narrow streets, Anzu met Seto's azure eyes. She had felt them on her since they had first gotten into the back of the limousine, and had entirely avoided them up to this point. Now she knew why. Those blue eyes were like the ocean's tide – pulling her in and then washing her out in a cycle she couldn't control. He stared at her full force, not angry or condescending, but concerned. Anzu shifted slightly in her seat, and averted her eyes down to folded hands.

"Yea, I'll be fine."

"Where's Mai?"

Anzu shrugged," She said that she was going on ahead to the apartment. She mentioned something about making hot chocolate… although Mai is about as competent at cooking as I am…" she trailed off, a small smile crossing her lips. She tilted her head back slightly and looked up at the roof of the car.

"Are you going to tell her the truth? When will you tell your _friends?"_

Anzu scowled, and she snapped her head up to glare into those blue eyes. His face was impassive, which only fueled her sudden anger.

"What is this?" she snapped, his cool demeanor bothering her as much as his words," 20 Questions?"

Kaiba sighed," So, you still haven't told them. You do realize that they'll find out, don't you? Somehow, Motou, or Bakura, or one of your other 'Nerd Herd' friends will discover something. And then, what will you do?"

Crossing her arms, she looked away from him again, trying to avoid his convicting gaze.

"Why do you care, Kaiba? Last time I checked, anything leading to my demise would please you."

"Well, you had better check again," he said, his voice low and quiet.

That voice. Just like his eyes, his voice drew her back to him, made her look to him again. She found herself lost for words.

"And I don't care, I just don't want to see you make an idiot out of yourself – well, anymore than you already have."

His face was still a blank slate, but Anzu was quite aware that hers wasn't.

"Do you realize what a contradiction you are Kaiba? You tell me to check again. You say you don't care, but in the same sentence, you say you don't want me to make an idiot out of myself. You ask me if I'll be alright, and then insult me," Anzu sat up straighter in her seat," What is wrong with you? Why do you care? What do you think my friends will have such a problem with?"

Seto sat back, and for once allowed a glimmer of emotion to break through his cool mask. Unfortunately, it wasn't an emotion Anzu could pinpoint.

"In case you haven't noticed Mazaki, _your friends_ seem to hate me. Especially Motou. I don't think he or Bakura would be particularly pleased about the fact that we've been spending a lot of time together."

Anzu's jaw dropped in disbelief," What is _wrong_ with _you?_ You sound like we're having some kind of secret relationship! And besides, none of this has been my choice! You're the one walking in the rain, you're the one who comes to all of the dance practices, you're the one that forces me to come to your house, it's you!"

Seto bit his lip, watching Anzu in all of her shocked frenzy. She was right, a thought that startled him as much as the thought of him caring about her. But hadn't this evening shown something?

_Yes. _The voices were back. _It shows that you're going crazy, Seto._

He focused in on her again, and realized with both panic and confusion that she had begun to cry softly, her strong façade broken by her own emotions.

"Mazaki…"

The limousine pulled up to a red light. In one fluid moment, Kaiba unbuckled his seat belt and crossed to the other side of the car. He sat down next to her just as the car began to move again, not knowing why exactly he was acting as he was. It seemed as though being around her caused him to lose his sense.

"You're right," she muttered, not seeming to notice his closer presence," You're right, damnit. They would freak out, they would be so angry. They would be angry with me that I hadn't been telling them everything. They already are angry that I let dance consume my life. They wouldn't understand – they don't understand."

Seto sighed, mentally cursing himself. Why was it that, every time they were around each other, they argued? It seemed that the only thing he was good at now was making her cry. Was it something about him in particular, or was it all part of a larger picture…?

Anzu was now looking up at him.

"God damnit," she muttered, her cheeks still glazed with tears" I always do this. I just can't seem to control anything anymore. One moment, everything is _fine_, and then the next – I'm getting _shot at_."

She laughed weakly, still staring up at him with her blue eyes, now crystal clear. Seto tried to pull away from her, from her eyes, but just couldn't. They were pure, brilliant sapphire, a stark contrast to their normally dull bluish-gray, different from the stormy dark blue he had been faced with on so many occasions. But now, just now, Anzu's eyes reminded Seto of raindrops, two clear and perfect cleansing droplets.

"If I may remind you," he replied, just as quietly," _I_ was the one getting shot at."

"Right," she whispered, moving her gaze from his face to the seats on the opposite side where Mokuba and Rebecca slept quietly," Poor kids, they've had quite a day."

"What are you going to do when they find out?"

Anzu sighed, and sunk down in her seat. She stayed focused on Mokuba and Rebecca, knowing that if she looked up at him, she would again lose what little composure she was clinging to.

"You know, Yami once said something like that to me," Anzu felt Kaiba's whole body tense at Yami's name, but ignored his reaction," about my parents. What I would do when they found out that I was still dancing, even when they had ordered me not to. And I'll tell you the same thing I told him."

"Which is?"

"They won't."

"What makes you so certain?"

"The sheer fact that they can't," Anzu shook her head, and sighed. Without a thought, she leaned against him slightly, enjoying how much warmer he was than her wet clothes," They just can't find out, or else everything will be ruined. Yami will have a fit, Ryou won't trust me, and the others will feel shocked and hurt. They just wouldn't understand that everything that has happened has been out of coincidence or necessity - they would think that I was leaving them to be with you."

She risked a glance up at his face.

"Which we both know is not the case," she finished.

"Why wouldn't Bakura trust you? Aren't the two of you best friends?"

Was it just her, or had Anzu sensed some bitterness-

"I would think that, of any of your friends, he would understand."

"I think that he would be hurt. You're right, we are best friends, but… he doesn't know. He thinks that I got hurt by some muggers out for my money. I've been lying to him, and if he found out…" Anzu paused, and scowled slightly," And again, it comes to the question of, why do you even care? You seem to have better grips on my life than I do."

Seto didn't answer. How could he answer a question that he didn't know the answer to? Anzu sighed, and rolled her eyes.

"You're not going to answer that question, are you? I suppose it's like the answer to the number of licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop – the world will never know."

He couldn't help but chuckle dryly," Your poor attempt at good humor has been noted, never try that again."

"Shut up," Anzu mumbled, a faint blush across her cheeks apparent to him even in the dark of the car.

The two sat in silence again, both consumed in their own wild, spinning thoughts. Anzu continued to lean up against him, growing with each moment more comfortable and more exhausted. Her thoughts became muddled and drowsy, but even through the haze of her dimming mind, two words remained clear and concise. _Seto Kaiba._

She couldn't explain how, but something had changed. There could be nothing more obvious – the two of them were different. Maybe the change had come that night, as he comforted her in her panic, or maybe even earlier, when she confronted him about Mokuba, or maybe even earlier still, but something had been altered. The way he spoke to her and questioned her and, dare she think it, _cared_ for her. The whole idea that Kaiba could _care_ about anything she did still seemed ridiculous to her, but was becoming more real. As Anzu looked up at him, she suddenly realized that _she_ was beginning to care about _him._ What he said, what happened to him, how he reacted. Before, a statement or gesture would have meant nothing to her, but now, now, it was more…

Maybe Ryou and her other friends would have reason to be angry or worried. If, that is, they ever found out about everything.

"The way we talk about it," she said sleepily," it really does seem as if we're having a secret affair. I don't think that rain walks and cooking mishaps really count as dates though. More like coincidental accidents."

Seto didn't answer, leaving Anzu to wonder if he had even heard her. Anzu felt her eyelids grow heavy, and knew that she didn't have much more time in the land of the conscious.

"Seto?"

No response. Anzu decided to continue anyway.

"Seto, why do you like the rain?"

Anzu felt him tense, and then suddenly relax. Although her eyes were now closed, she knew that he was staring down at her, scrutinizing her every feature and word under his sharp blue eyes. She heard him take a deep breath.

"I started the 'rain walks' shortly after Gozaburo died. At first, I just walked to get away from everything, the office, the people, the responsibility, but the walks soon became something else. I would go out almost anytime it would rain, anytime after I had an argument with Mokuba or made a horrible decision about something. They just became ritual. I found that I could think more clearly, organize my thoughts when I was out there."

"But it doesn't rain all of the time…"

Seto could barely hear her voice, he knew that she was almost asleep.

"No, it doesn't. But it always seems to at the right time."

"Whatever… Tell that to the dress I ruined…"

And with that, Anzu was gone, her breathing deep and even. Her head rested on his shoulder, and her body leaned against his. Seto looked down at her sleeping face, debating whether to wake her or simply let her sleep. He rolled his eyes and grumbled under his breath, but did nothing to move the girl. Seto was now the only one awake in the back of the vehicle.

Seto gazed out the window of the limousine, regarding the wet streets with some longing. The rain still swept across the city, and from the heaviness of the clouds, would probably last all night. He had a lot on his mind, and a lot he needed to wash away. A rain walk would do him some benefit. Already, he was finding himself unable to think straight. Anzu had asked him why he liked the rain. He had answered, told her something that he had never even told Mokuba. Yes, he had a lot to think about.

The limousine stopped outside of Anzu's apartment complex. The chauffeur came around and opened the door, carrying an open umbrella and peering in expectantly.

"Mazaki," Seto muttered in her ear, shaking her gently. The girl didn't move. "Anzu, come on, we're at your complex."

Nothing. The boy sighed, but knew what he had to do. He shifted her slightly and wrapped one arm behind her back, and then stooped down and wrapped his other arm under her knees. Very carefully, he maneuvered out of the back of the limousine and onto the sidewalk. Anzu shifted slightly in his arms, but never woke. He turned to the chauffeur.

"Go ahead and take Rebecca and Mokuba home. I'll take Mazaki up to her apartment and then walk home."

The chauffeur nodded, more than used to Kaiba's rain walks. Without even offering the umbrella, the driver turned from Kaiba and returned to the limousine. In a matter of moments, it was pulling away, headed to the Hawkin's residence.

Already, Seto was starting to feel his arms tire. He held Anzu closer to his chest and began to walk to the stairs, talking to her as he went, even though she slept.

"You're not particularly light for a dancer are you?"

He trudged up the stairs, careful not to trip or drop Anzu as he did so. The stairs were dimly lit by dirty glass globes that emitted a weak, orange light. Despite the light, as Seto looked down at her sleeping face…

He stumbled slightly, but managed to regain his balance before the two of them toppled to the bottom.

"Why couldn't you and Mai have lived on the first floor?" he complained. As if hearing him, Anzu smiled slightly, but he knew that she must have been dreaming.

Seto reached Anzu's apartment, and by maneuvering Anzu's body in his arms, freed a hand to turn the doorknob. It was locked. He cursed, and began to knock the door with his foot. There was a key above the door frame, he knew, but he couldn't reach it and still manage to hold Anzu. After a few moments, a weary looking Mai Valentine opened the door. She gave them a strange look, but let him in none the less with a muttered, "Thank God."

"She fell asleep in the car," Seto said, feeling somewhat defensive as Mai gazed at him with knowing eyes. She smiled and nodded gently, but her smile contained a hint of something Seto couldn't place.

"Her room is this way, follow me."

Mai led him down the hall off of the living room and opened the door to Anzu's room. She flipped the light on and revealed to Seto a world of shades of blue, ranging from the sky blue walls to the baby blue comforter across the bed. The color décor surprised him – he would have expected Anzu's room to be an unbearable shade of pink.

"Just set her down on the bed," Mai said, turning from him and moving over to the closet," I'll get her some dry clothes…"

He walked over to the bed and slowly laid the still sleeping Anzu on top of the comforter. Their faces close as he began to straighten, he was able to hear as Anzu mumbled something in her sleep…

"_Seto…"_

Seto froze, still standing over her bed. There was no mistaking what she had said. One breathless, airy name had passed over her lips in her sleep, and he had heard it. His own.

"Kaiba-"

He quickly straightened up and turned to Mai, who was looking at him curiously. She held dry clothes in her arms.

"I was just saying, not to be rude, but you should probably leave, unless you want to help me get Anzu into these clothes."

Seto's eyes widened and he shook his head violently. Mai chuckled," I didn't think so. You should leave, it's late." her eyes narrowed slightly," Are you feeling alright Kaiba? Your face is really red."

Again, Kaiba shook head, his eyes cast to the floor not daring to look at the blonde woman. "I'm fine. I'll show myself out."

Mai nodded, and Seto left, quickly exiting the apartment and rushing down the stairs. No, Mai Valentine was no dumb blonde. He remembered what a competent duelist she had been before she had taken to modeling, an excellent strategist and manipulator. Doubtless, the woman could see more than even he could. Oh, how good she was at manipulating a situation, in mere seconds!

Seto stepped out from under the overhang that covered the landing, and into the cool rain. It poured down, a refreshing change from Anzu's room, which had seemed to him extremely warm. He felt the rain melt away the deep blush from his cheeks, wash away all of the confusion, all of the guilt, everything that he had done wrong. Seto Kaiba walked towards the Kaiba Mansion as the rain washed everything away.

* * *

"Seto… Seto?"

Seto watched the streets pass by, bright and warm after the long night's rain.

"Are you listening to me?"

The limo passed the Kame Game Shop – it was busy, as it always seemed to be. He wondered if Anzu would ever tell the rest of the "nerd herd".

"Look man-"

But what was there to tell?

"If you don't start paying attention, I SWEAR I'M GOING TO SEND YOUR RICH ARSE TO THE SHADOW REALM!"

Kaiba looked away from the window to find himself nose-to-nose with the face of an enraged Egyptian. He blinked, and then scowled.

"Isis, will you please tell your camel-brained brother to get out of my lap before I mail him back to Egypt in a Duel Disk box?"

Marik blanched, and scuttled out of the compromising position he had placed himself in as a means of getting Kaiba's attention.

"Honestly Marik, I didn't think you swung that way. But I mean, after dating someone like the mutt's sister – "

"Don't you say a word about Serenity yo-"

"WOULD YOU TWO PLEASE STOP FIGHTING?"

Marik and Kaiba silently turned to face the other two occupants of the vehicle – Isis and Mokuba.

"Big Brother," Mokuba began," It's extremely rude to say a thing like that about Shizuka, especially as she's never been anything but nice to you."

"And you Marik," Isis scolded," Should watch what you say to Seto, as he's been nothing but a-"

"An arrogant, uptight a-"

"Stop it. Now."

The air inside the limousine was as thick as thunderclouds and equally as electrified. They were on the way to the Museum, and for Kaiba, the usually quick drive across town was taking next to forever. But maybe the other occupants of the vehicle had something to do with that.

"As I was saying, before I was so rudely ignored," Isis glared at her _boyfriend_ venomously," The Museum has requested that I stay in Domino for another two weeks, to help train the guides for the new exhibit. While I've got a lot of work back in Cairo that Rishid has been handling for me, I've decided to stay!"

Isis clapped her hands together happily and smiled, but was met with three deadpan stares. Her smile melted, and morphed into an expression of deadly calm.

"I thought that the three of you would have been excited," she breathed," You know, 'Oh, that's so wonderful Isis!', 'We're so glad,' 'We miss you when you're gone!'"

The three men blinked in perfect sync.

"Oh, that's so wonderful Isis!" Mokuba said quickly, forcing a smile.

"We're so glad." Marik followed, with less enthusiasm.

Seto had returned to watching the street pass outside of the window. Mokuba jabbed an elbow into the older boy's ribs.

"Yes, we miss you when you're gone." Kaiba said blandly.

"Oh, bravo boys, great effort. It's nice to know that one is appreciated."

She rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers right under Kaiba's nose. He blinked, and his cloudy gaze momentarily cleared.

"What's wrong with you Seto?" Isis demanded," You've been in a daze all day – it's unlike you."

"I didn't sleep well last night," he retorted, his voice more than laced with annoyance at the woman – _his girlfriend? – _sitting across from him.

"Yea, that's because you were out all night in the rain," Mokuba muttered. Seto threw a sharp glance in Mokuba's direction, and the younger boy shrugged before making the motion of zipping his lips.

"I just don't know what's gotten into you recently," Isis complained, tossing her hands up in defeat," You never call, you never visit, you're always moody when we are together, and you're always out in the rain! Did you catch a cold or something…"

The woman continued to gripe – she was a radio, playing the same whiny pop song over, and over and over… Seto tuned out.

He couldn't help but wonder if this was what Anzu felt like when she was surrounded by her _friends_. Alone, annoyed, misunderstood, maybe ready to kill someone.

_Good job, Seto_, The Voices said cheerfully,_ you just met every standard for homicidal teenager._

"Anzu, Get Your Guns," he mumbled to himself, nearly amusing himself with his play on names.

"Did you say something Seto?"

He glanced up to Isis.

He glanced up to Isis, and saw Anzu.

_And you're now officially delusional. Congrats. _

Seto shook his head violently, in answer to both Isis' question and his own newly found lunacy.

* * *

Monday morning.

By some miracle, Anzu had managed to survive both English and Biology III without once making eye contact with Seto Kaiba – a true miracle as in both classes he had been seated within a four foot radius. Which was, of course, three feet too close. Yes, they had saved each others lives only two days ago. And yes, she had not only clung to him most of the time afterwards, but had fallen asleep on his shoulder on the drive home, only to awaken the next morning in her bed.

But that still didn't mean that any kind of contact – even eye contact – would be comfortable.

Only once over the weekend had she picked the phone up to call, and the one time that she did so, neither Kaiba had been in, leaving her to flounder pathetically when the maid who had picked up asked if she could take a message.

Anzu wasn't sure when exactly the discomfort set in, but it certainly had. Maybe it was when she realized how close she had gotten to him, or how deeply she had cracked the ice. Maybe it was when she was left on her own all Sunday, giving her more than enough time to fully consider the repercussions of _actually caring_ for a man like Seto Kaiba. Or maybe, just maybe, it was when he walked into English that morning – tense, silent, and unfocused, with obvious dark circles lining glazed eyes.

And while Anzu might have been tempted many a time to force eye contact, or mutter a brief word – any word – in his direction, she never did, leaving Kaiba as dark and hazy as he had been the moment he entered. The temptation was a strong one, a kind of desperate desire to make a connection with him somewhere outside of the rain or his limo, as it seemed to Anzu as if every other connection she had with the real world was starting to fall away. While she had been pondering the enigma that was Seto Kaiba that next Sunday morning, Anzu had missed meeting up with Yami, Ryou and the others at the arcade. This, of course, led to one thing and one thing only.

"Anzu! Why weren't ya at da arcade yesterday?"

The brunette looked up from her unappealing left-over lunch, interrupted from her daydream of white chocolate sugar chunk cookies by a curious Jou. She and Yugi were the only two sitting at the bench, the others were either still in line for food or were simply gathered around the bench standing.

"I had a really busy day at work on Saturday," she lied, wondering in the back of her mind if she was becoming an expert at it," and then intense dance practice. I got home Saturday night, and just collapsed. I didn't hear my alarm go off Sunday and overslept," she shrugged and made a perfectly regretful face," Sorry."

Jou returned her shrug and put his lunch tray on the bench table," No prob, although ya musta been pretty tired ta oversleep til' 4 pm."

"Dance is exhaustive," Anzu replied simply.

"And that is yet another reason why you should quit!"

Anzu stared up at the just arrived Yami as he placed his lunch tray down next to Jou's. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, giving her the appearance of a dying fish, before she managed to choke out word.

"I-I'm sorry – Are we picking up from another conversation, b-because I don't think I was present for that one!" she exclaimed. Yami sighed.

"Anzu, I know how dedicated you are to dance, and I know how much it means to you. Originally, I really supported your decision, but… I don't know, it just doesn't seem to be the right thing. Dance is always taking up your time and energy, not to mention that if your parents ever found out…"

"Yami, I- I know that dance takes up my time, but it's my passion, I mean, I guess I thought you understood that-"Anzu was almost too shocked to be angry. Almost. A vicious red flush swept up through her face, and she did nothing to try and hide the indignant tone in her voice.

What had suddenly happened to the boy that had once been her Prince Charming?

"Who are you and what have you done to Yami?" she demanded. Honda came up behind Yami, followed only seconds later by Duke.

"Whoa Anzu, sounds like some pretty crazy accusation," Honda said.

"Well what do you _expect?_ Yami's telling me to quit dance! It's like me telling Yugi to quit Duel Monsters or Jou to quit eating!"

"Calm down, Anzu," Duke said smoothly, sitting down across the table from her," Look, we talked about it after the whole arcade thing yesterday an-"

"You _talked_ about it?" Anzu nearly shrieked. What was this? Had the whole world decided to go insane, and she missed the memo? "Since when were you all against me and dance?"

This time, it was little Yugi who spoke.

"Since we stopped seeing you, Anzu."

"Yugi's right, Anzu," Jou said in an odd moment of seriousness," We neva see ya 'round anymore. It's always dance dis or work dat or oh I gotta go do blah blah blah…you're our friend, right? And friends ah s'posed to be der…"

"Friends are supposed to support their friends, through good and bad!"

Anzu had stood now, and was looking back and forth to each face. Between her panicked glances, her eyes caught and snagged on a measured stare, observing her distress from afar. Realizing he had been seen, Kaiba turned and walked into the main building, disappearing in a fit of freshmen and swinging doors.

"Anz', what's going on?"

She allowed a sigh of relief to escape at the sound of a familiar and friendly voice. Warm chocolate brown seemed to melt as Ryou fixed his gaze on her face. Anzu smiled in relief.

"Ryou… Yami and the others are talking about me quitting dance!"

Ryou, her best friend, the one person who Anzu thought she could depend on, nodded. Anzu seemed to wither right then.

"It's ridiculous, isn't it? I told them that there was no way you would quit dance," he said matter-of-factly, and Anzu bloomed again into a large smile.

"By the way, I saw in the paper today that after a kidnapping last weekend," Anzu's heart nearly stopped at Ryou's words," the Domino Police Department is really starting to crack down on crime. Did the police ever find the men who mugged you?"

Everyone around the table went deathly silent as they all fixated their stares on Anzu, but Anzu's own ears were roaring loudly with the magnified sound of blood being pumped through her veins.

"Anzu," Yugi cried out in shock," You were mugged?"

"Why didn't ya tell us ya were attacked?" Jou exclaimed," Me an Honda woulda tracked down those good fer nothin…"

"When did this happen?" Even Yami was genuinely shocked and concerned as Anzu turned deathly pale and Ryou regarded her strangely.

"Well," Ryou answered, voice peculiar," It was around the time of the opening of the new museum exhibit. That same weekend."

"WHAT?" Jou, Honda, Duke, Yugi and Yami all exclaimed. Anzu merely sunk low on the bench, wondering if she would be able to escape from under the table.

"Anzu, why didn't you tell us?" Yugi demanded, unusually fierce.

Anzu remained silent, already plotting her escape patterns. If she managed to outrun Jou she could make it…

"I thought she did tell you," Ryou said, eyes focused only on Anzu," That was how she got hurt so badly…"

"But ya told us you got hurt at work! Some jerk eatin' in da restaurant!" Jou said with a frown.

"How could she have gotten hurt and you not know, Jou?" Ryou questioned, his face still calm," You gave her clothes to change into after she got attacked, because her work clothes got messed up and…"

He trailed off as he saw the look on Jou's face.

"I never lent Anzu any clothes – when she got ta Yugi's an' told us she got hurt at work, she was wearin' different clothes. She told us dat one of da guy's at work gave her them."

"So," Yami grumbled, cutting off Ryou before he could begin to speak," If you didn't get the clothes from work, and didn't get them from Jou, where did they come from? And why would you lie to us about getting mugged?"

Anzu was shaking now, her head in her hands. _This couldn't be happening to me… not now. How could it happen so fast? Maybe Kaiba's psychic…_

And there it was again – Kaiba. It seemed as though he was always there now, always forefront in her thoughts. She didn't look up to face her friends. She could have handled Honda and Jou and Duke, maybe even Yugi and Yami. But there was no way she could look at Ryou, not yet.

She felt someone sit down at her side, and place an arm around her shoulders.

"Anzu, what's going on?" Ryou whispered, pulling her close to him. She shook her head violently, trying to push away from him as she did.

_Seto said this would happen… it was idiotic of me to think that it wouldn't._

Ryou released the girl, and sighed.

"Whose clothes were you wearing?" he asked quietly. Anzu was startled by his voice – in one sentence, Ryou had managed to sound worried, upset, angry, bitter, even. She looked up at him, stared into his soft brown eyes. He raised his eyebrows slightly, reinforcing his previous question.

"Why don't you just tell us, Anzu?" Yami demanded, slamming both hands on the table. Anzu didn't jump, nor did she turn to face him.

"Ryou," she muttered," You're my best friend and"-

"Anzu, please," he begged, silencing her," Just tell me who the clothes came from."

"_Kaiba. Seto lent them to me."_

"WHAT?" the group roared for the second time that day. Ryou nodded sadly, as if he weren't in the least surprised, only disappointed.

"Y-you've been skippin out on us ta spend time wit dat two-timin, friend stealin', arrogant, stick up da butt, jerkwad KAIBA?"

"He's not a jerkwad," Anzu mumbled, her head now back in her hands to avoid Ryou's penetrating gaze. _Okay, well, maybe he _is_ a jerkwad, but after everything he's done…_

"AND NOW YER STANDIN UP FER HIM!" Jou screeched," WHAT'S DA WORLD COMIN TO?"

Yami put a firm hand on Jou's shoulder, and gave Anzu a hard stare," Calm down Jou, maybe Anzu will explain."

"Please, do," Ryou breathed.

With those two words, Anzu broke, her feelings snapped in two by the people she had thought were her friends, had thought would understand. The story started slowly, small raindrops pattering hollowly, but as she continued, the storm grew, until each over-swollen drop rushed out, hitting and meeting their end with an explosion of emotion. The trickle of the story became a flood, and she wished that maybe it would wash her away with it, past her friends, down the gutter, out into the streets, where she could join Kaiba and his frustrating but understanding nature and his even steps and…

With each word, a new emotion washed over Ryou's face, paining Anzu even more. She could almost see what he was thinking…_ why would she lie to me? How could she do this? I thought she trusted me… I thought we were friends…_

Yami, on the other hand, was as unchanging as the heat of the desert, and just as blistering. He made his anger and confusion apparent with the way he frowned and clenched his fists.

"And then, the next thing I knew, I was in my room and it was Sunday morning."

Anzu finished, leaving the others to stare in shocked silence. Of course, she had omitted certain parts of her tale from the summary… like their conversation in the limo… and their closeness in the kitchen… and her newfound fixation.

"You should have told us sooner, Anzu," Yugi said, looking concerned, but not angry.

"These things should have never happened!" Yami exclaimed, livid," I've told you all time and time again that nothing good comes from a Kaiba, and this is a perfect example! Two times you almost got yourself killed!"

A spark of anger flickered up inside of Anzu, and she could feel the fire growing, feeding on the raindrops in her heart rather than shrinking from them.

"I didn't realize you cared about what happens to me, Yami," she replied scathingly," You were oh-so-concerned when I showed up late to your house bleeding myself out on your furniture."

"Well-"

"Don't even start!" she hissed, flames licking up higher, greedily consuming everything inside her," Ever since Isis showed up, you've been completely different! Oh, sure, you were always a little controlling, but as soon as _she _comes into the picture, you think you're the King of the World!"

"Anzu, this is about you and Kaiba! I never knew you as one to be jealous-"

"That's just it, isn't it? You never knew me! I was always just the happy-go-lucky friend, wasn't I Yami, just another friend that would follow every order and fawn over you!"

Anzu stood up from the table, bumping the bench back as she did. Both Ryou and Yugi leaped up, and placed a hand on her shoulder. She shook them off, and glared acidly.

"Dancing is my passion. And Kaiba, well, Kaiba-"

"Is he your passion too, Anzu?"

She blinked, speechless and turned to face Ryou, taken aback by his suggestion. Even Yami looked shocked, and the others nearly dumbfounded.

"Ryou, how-"

He shook his head and grinned darkly," Never mind, don't answer that. I don't want to know."

"But Ryou-"

"It's fine Anzu, just"-

"So, you too?" Anzu scowled, the closest to tears she'd been all day," Of all people, I thought you would understand, even after I told you. I prayed that maybe you could forgive me; maybe you could help me understand what to do, what was happening. I thought maybe you were different. You're my friend. At least, I thought you were."

Ryou's eyes widened, and it was his turn to look taken aback. Anzu stared back at him, bottom lip quivering slightly.

"I'm going," she stated, not hiding the regret or the pain in her voice. Her face, however, was determined. She slammed her lunchbox shut, and grabbed her back pack. Anzu left the lunch table, walking past Ryou and a stunned Yugi, brushing past the still furious Yami and the silent others.

Ryou watched as she walked past and away from them, a slight hitch in her step as she sped up, faster and faster until her feet were pounding across the courtyard, people yelling as they scattered to avoid a collision. He watched as she ran away from them, ran away from him.

He ran a hand through his white hair, smiling sadly, maybe bitterly. Yami's jaw had dropped, but he no longer looked angry. The whole group had turned to stare at Ryou. He let his head fall to the table, relishing in the clunk as his skull hit the wood.

"We messed up," he muttered, not caring if the others heard him or not," Not just me, or Yami, or Anzu, but all of us. There's no single person to blame, it's all our faults. The world is a screwed up place… and maybe Anzu was just trying to make sense of her little piece of it."

Ryou sighed, and lifted his head. He saw the door to the main building swing open and then slam shut.

"In the end, she tried to get us to understand, but we refused."

He stood up, and began to walk towards the main building. Yami grabbed him by the arm, but Ryou shook the boy off.

"Ryou, what are you doing now? Just let her cool off, then she'll be back." Yami said, an air of command in his voice.

"Damnit, Yami!" Ryou hissed," We've ruined things enough! I'm surprised it took her this long to walk away!"

"What are you talking about?" the other boy asked, taken aback.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You just refuse to accept it."

With that, Ryou pushed past Yami, and made his way to the main building.

* * *

He was waiting.

He wasn't exactly sure what he was waiting for, but he knew it would come, and soon.

It must have been the look on Anzu's face – her expression was the only storm advisory Seto had ever followed, insisting that he vacate the premises before things took a turn for the worse. Seto had an odd feeling that Anzu would be needing shelter soon, but he was still questioning whether he would be the one to provide it.

"Shelter? Don't be ridiculous Kaiba," he scolded himself. He had been like this since Saturday, even though he had tried to wash everything that happened away with the rain and Isis. That Saturday night, he had momentarily forsaken his own mental façade, allowing himself to feel. Feel guilty, for what he saw as betrayal to Isis. Feel concerned, that maybe everything Mokuba had said about him were true. Feel confused, for what was happening to both him and to Anzu. Seto realized that through his life he had truly become 'Cold as Ice Kaiba' – not just on the outside, but internally. Were it not outside the physical realm of possibility, Seto wondered if he might have developed a mental ice cap that beat down any stray emotion or rebellious thought. But now he could almost hear the slow groan as the ice became unsettled and cracked, and the glacier of his inner being trickled down. It was perturbing at best.

The door at the end of the hall swung open, and the echo of footsteps reverberated loudly. Kaiba discreetly cast a glance down the hall, masking his anticipation. Two girls were chattering at a rate that he could barely follow, causing him to wonder if they even understood each other. Immediately he donned his flawless face of cruel disinterest, and pressed himself further into the wall of lockers.

"I know this sounds so pathetic to you-" one of the girls said with a giggle, and Kaiba now realized that they _were_ speaking a proper language," but I just can't keep my mind off of how _hot_ he is!"

Kaiba rolled his eyes and tuned out, unable to find a reasonable explanation for why he had been doomed to wallow amongst shallow idiots.

The girls past by quickly, lowering their voices only as they passed him. Soon they were at the opposite side of the building, up the stairwell, and out of sight and mind.

_Maybe the ice wasn't shifting as fast as he had thought._

This time, both doors flung open, and Seto didn't need to glance to know what was coming. Desperate footsteps pervaded the previous silence of the nearly empty hall, and he was aware of the fact that the calm before the storm had ended. Seto pushed off from the lockers, and as he did so he was met with a heavy blow to the chest. He exhaled sharply.

"Mazaki," he wheezed," You really need to loose some weight."

"Oh shut up Kaiba," the girl hissed, and she squeezed him even tighter around the middle. Mind still reeling from the impact, he took Anzu by the shoulders and pushed her away from him.

"Mind explaining your sudden urge to attack? I haven't provoked you since Saturday."

"No, you haven't," she admitted," You haven't done anything today but mope around and give the world the silent treatment."

_And whose fault do you think that is?_ The voice is the back of his head said, rolling its unseen eyes.

"But of course you've been a glittering ray of sunshine all day."

"Shut up Kaiba," she said again, looking away from him.

"If I had a dollar for every time you told me to shut up-"

Anzu clenched her fists and stared at the scuffed linoleum of the hall. He saw now that she was shaking, but her face was resolute and her eyes dry.

"They know." she said, voice monotone.

"Of course they do," he replied. He was only mildly surprised that her _friends _had pushed her over the edge… Kaiba knew it would happen eventually, but he had never expected it would be so soon.

"I didn't want to believe it would happen," Anzu continued, her eyes fixated on some invisible floor wonder," And I didn't think they would react the way they did. It seems as though everything that has happened has now been completely blown out of proportion. Yes, I did lie to Ryou, and Yami and everyone else. And yes, I do seem to be spending a lot of time around you – inadvertently, of course. But is it really that great of a sin? Thinking about it now, none of it really seems that important. Just a few bumps on my path, nothing to go insane over. But they didn't want to hear what I had to say, didn't want to reason. Maybe this is all my fault-"

"Stop right there," Seto commanded," And think. The only thing you've done wrong is try to protect them."

"No… no… Yami and the others were trying to convince me to quit dance – everyone except Ryou of course, but,"-

Seto shook his head in frustration, realizing that he was strangely furious with the people who called themselves her _friends._

"Ryou was upset that I lied to him. He was upset that I had been with you, although I can't understand why…"

"Of course he was!" Kaiba snapped, his suspicions that Anzu was completely blind Bakura's devotion now confirmed. Anzu's head shot up, and she faced him with dazzling blue eyes.

"At first, I felt almost betrayed," she said evenly," But then, when I saw him, I couldn't help feeling like the betrayer."

"The only thing you've done wrong is let them guilt you. I've run Kaiba Corporation for years, and I would be a liar if I told you now that I did so while upholding the highest moral standards. I've done things far worse than you have – I've ruined companies, ruined lives ruthlessly, I've beaten people down until they're nothing more than spineless followers. Your lies are nothing compared to what I've done."

Anzu sighed, but didn't look away from him this time.

"You know Kaiba, sometimes I truly do envy you. You always have this mesmerizing – if not slightly irritating – level headedness."

"Level headedness? Most people call it frigidity."

"That too. Whatever it is… I wish sometimes that I could have it. The ability to mask the person underneath, to be a closed book, unreadable, impenetrable."

"Overrated."

The girl sighed, and slowly wrapped her arms around him," Maybe so."

"Why did you come to me?" he asked, not caring that his arms again encircled her frame. By now, the gesture was eerily natural.

"Because I'm insane."

"Well I'm not, so that's no answer."

The girl shrugged and pressed her face against his chest.

"I don't know. Because somehow I knew you would understand, even if it seems utterly impossible. Which almost scares me more than what's going to happen next time I talk to _them_."

* * *

The bell rang, and Ryou remained in his seat, watching as Anzu stood up, haphazardly gathered her books, and sped out of the classroom. She fumbled with her bag at the doorway, nearly dropping her things. On any other day, Ryou would have been right there at her side, helping her catch her balance while joking about her lack of dancer's grace. But today, he continued to sit at his desk, merely observing as his friend struggled against overwhelming tides of her own troubles.

_Do I even deserve to call myself her friend?_

Anzu managed to regain her composure, and made her way out into the chaotic hallway, never once looking back to see if he might be following. As soon as she was out of sight, Ryou stood up and moved to the doorway, peering around the frame. He found it impossible to find Anzu amongst the sardine-packed crowd of students. Ryou swung himself back around to re-enter the classroom, but instead collided into something with a sickening thump. Ryou fought back a scowl as he pushed away, instead choosing to mirror the expression of mild disinterest that the boy he had ran into was already wearing.

"That is the second time this has happened today – I'm beginning to tire of it."

Ryou glared up at the taller boy – "Well then, maybe you should stop getting in people's ways."

Kaiba made no other indication of emotion but to raise his eyebrow," You're one to talk, Bakura."

"What, no name calling, Kaiba? I didn't even think you knew my name – I've always just been lover-boy to you."

"You used to just be lover-boy, but we both know that's not the case anymore, now is it?"

"What are you talking about?" Ryou hissed, already disliking where this conversation was headed. At the same time, he had anticipated it… and had planned to stay back and catch Kaiba before he left.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about."

The white-haired boy scowled as his own words were used against him.

"You know, Bakura, I had always been under the impression that friends stood up for each other, even if they go against the status quo."

"Don't you dare bring her up - this has nothing to do with Anzu!"

Kaiba grimaced, his eyes narrowing," You know as well as I that this has everything to do with Anzu. I didn't even breathe her name in this conversation, yet here we are, already arrived at the subject. We wouldn't be speaking right now if this weren't about Anzu."

"You don't know anything Kaiba, so don't pretend to!"

"I'm not pretending anything." Seto crossed his arms and leaned slightly against the doorframe. "And don't think for a minute that I'm anything like those other idiots that Anzu likes to call _friends._"

"What, so you think you actually know what's best for Anzu?"

"You should realize that the only one who knows that is Anzu herself."

Ryou tore his gaze away from Kaiba's and scowled bitterly. He knew what he had glimpsed at lunch, in the hall, and he knew what he had to do.

"Look Kaiba, I don't know why or how Anzu came to choose you"-

At this, Kaiba allowed himself to look generally surprised," Wh"-

"But she has. It's obvious you know my feelings for her, so there's no need for me to explain them. Regardless of what you might think, I would do anything for her. Even… " Ryou took a deep breath," even if it means losing her to _you_. The only person Anzu seems to be happy around now is you. The only person she even seems to be _human_ around is you. I won't even pretend that I understand her decision, and sometimes I wonder if she even does. I really do just want Anzu to be happy. I won't try and interfere, I'll just try to be there for her."

Ryou watched Kaiba's face carefully, and he could clearly see that Kaiba thought he had gone insane.

"If it's you she chooses to be with… so be it. But," Ryou's voice suddenly grew cold, razor lined," if you ever so much as upset her or hurt her in any way, I will come after you, and you will regret it. Anzu is precious to me, and I will never allow you to trample all over her. Understand?"

Kaiba blinked as Ryou glared daggers.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he finally replied.

And they shook on it.

* * *

Well, that's all! I've already started on Chapter 13 – who knows where that will go (well, besides me, that is!) Please review, send your comments, concerns, and scolding for me taking so long…

Also, if you are a fan of Full Metal Alchemist, please check out my newest work – Les Portes Tordues (insert shameless promotion).

RR


	13. Hook, Line, and Sinker

Hello one, hello all, it's me, Revolutionnaire Rouge. Yes, I know. It's been over a year – please don't kill me, but instead bask in the glory of the fact that I actually posted another chapter. I've had this one done for a while now, but kept telling myself that I wouldn't post it until I made it longer, to make up to all of you for all of the time I made you wait. However, as you can tell, that only caused you to have to wait longer, rather than getting anything done. I apologize that, for the year it's taken me to get this up, I only have 22 pages for you all. In my defense, a LOT happens in the chapter. It's a big one, trust me on that.

I don't honestly know when I'll next be able to post – I'll shoot for Christmas, since I'll actually (maybe) have some time to write, but even that is really pushing it. Please don't hate me or maul me for something as silly as this chapter. I hate to admit it, but I'm going to get emotional here… It's been a long, long year. School got a lot busier and harder (last school year I was taking 5 AP classes), my Grandpa passed away from cancer, I got involved in the school musical, and I went through some really difficult times this spring and summer. But there were good things too – I managed to keep my grades up (although I slipped from 8th to 13th), I turned sixteen (yes, I know. You all can do whatever math you want to) I visited the UK for the first time, and passed my first IB exam. Now I'm a senior (gasp!), taking all IB and AP classes (because I'm masochistic, obviously), and starting to send in my college applications. Things are going to be really hectic for a while, so I apologize that these updates may become even less frequent.

I'd like to thank all of my faithful readers and reviewers, and I'd also like to recognize my newest readers – some of whom sent me reviews only a few days ago. You all are wonderful – thank you so much for your dedication. I'd especially like to thank T-Cha-Cha, for being so tenacious in reminding me to update and being so enthusiastic about, well, everything. Thanks, love.

Alright, alright, enough emotional blathering. Get on with it!

Much love,

Revolutionnaire Rouge.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! and any related characters, nor do I claim any rights to The Black Eyed Peas, The White Stripes, or Queen.

_L_

Like The Rain, by Revolutionnaire Rouge

Chapter Thirteen – Hook, Line, and Sinker

L

'_My Hump, my Hump, _

_My Hump, My Hump,_

_My lovely lady lumps,_

_In th-"_

"Mokuba!" Kaiba screamed, nearly crushing his thin phone as he made a fist around it," How many times have I told you NOT TO MESS WITH MY CELL-PHONE!"

Kaiba could see Mokuba shrug and smirk as the boy replied," As to date, four-thousand, two-hundred and… seven times."

"You shouldn't have even made it to one! DO YOU REALIZE HOW EMBARRASSING IT IS?" The young man was nearly hyperventilating as he shrieked at his uncaring brother. Of all the things that boy could have done…

"Well, knowing you brother, I'm sure that right now you're doing a pretty good job of embarrassing yourself without my help. Can I ask – are you still at school, or are you in range of innocent civilians?"

All around him, students and adults alike had stopped to stare at the fuming Kaiba. As Kaiba met their eyes with a burning glare, whispers and giggles began to break out and a crowd began to form. He whipped around and began to walk, setting a brisk pace that few people could keep up with on the crowded sidewalks. However, the mass that had formed shifted in an attempt to at least keep sight of him. From behind he caught a glimpse of a few flashes, and wondered how quickly outburst would make it to the media.

"There is nothing innocent about our civilians!" he hissed, catching another glimpse of a camera flash, and this time of the ogling fan-girl behind it. Mokuba chuckled on the other end.

"So," Kaiba snapped, walking even faster as the crowd seemed to close in," What do you want?"

His younger brother mock-gasped," Oh, brother dearest, what could even cause you to think that I wanted anything from you? Can't a younger brother call his Nii-san without full force questioning?"

"When the younger brother happens to be a conniving munchkin? No."

"I am NOT a munchkin!" Mokuba yelled back. He took a moment, and regained his calm," Actually, _Nii-san,_ I didn't call to ask you for anything. I just wanted to tell you that Becky and I wouldn't be coming to dance practice today. Becky caught a bad cold after being out in the rain for so long on Saturday, and is in no state to even leave her house. Professor Hawkins has to work late tonight, so I volunteered to watch over her. You know, warm blankets, chicken noodle soup, fluids, lots of 'get-better' kisses, that whole deal," he said casually.

"That's fine. Just don't leave until I get home, and _promise me_ you'll let the chauffer take you and bring you back."

"Can do. I'd honestly not like a repeat of Saturday. And since Becky and I won't be there, that means you don't have to go to Anzu's dance practice or anything…"

Was it just Seto, or was there some tone of hidden intention behind Mokuba's voice?

"Hmph. Well it's not like I have anything else to do."

Seto smirked as he listened to Mokuba's shocked silence. _Try that on for size, punk._

"You mean… you're still going to go?" Mokuba finally managed to splutter out.

"I'll do whatever I please," Seto replied coolly.

"Right. Right." Mokuba seemed to be trying to make sense of Seto's words, as if he didn't believe what he was hearing.

"Oh, and don't get sick. If you do, I'll have to call Isis over to look after you."

Another long silence.

"You wouldn't dare."

At this, Kaiba couldn't help but smirk. "Oh, I would."

"Ah, but that would require you to actually speak to Isis."

This time the silence was on Kaiba's side, and it was an uncomfortable one. Mokuba chuckled nervously.

"Um, well, I guess I'd better be going, Becky's calling in and-"

"I'll see you soon Mokuba."

"Right. Uh. Love you Nii-san!"

"Love you too, Dead Meat."

There was a fast click and soon the dial tone was ringing in his ears. Kaiba smirked, and flipped his phone closed. It wasn't much longer until he reached the mansion. He would change, check the weather, then be on his way. After lunch, and after his conversation with Bakura, Seto was almost hesitant to go Anzu's dance practice – he wondered if he was a glutton for punishment. Ryou's reaction had surprised him. Obviously Ryou had seen him and Anzu talking at lunch, and gotten the wrong impression from it. Although now Ryou's words had summoned another storm in Kaiba's mind, leading him to wonder if possibly the impression wasn't as wrong as Kaiba had previously thought. Anzu? Choosing him? Ryou? Losing her to him? He was still wondering when he would wake up. Seto hoped it would be before he lost his sanity.

Kaiba reached the gates of the mansion before he had even realized it. The heavy iron gates slid back soundlessly as he approached, and closed behind him with a soft thud. He walked across the front lawn, grass green and springy from the nearly perpetual rains. The younger maid who had taken Helena's position quickly opened the door as he walked up the steps, breathing a light," Good Afternoon, Mr. Kaiba."

She shut the door, and then walked behind him as he made his way upstairs.

"Mail arrived today specifically addressed to you at the mansion, air mailed internationally, I believe. Ms. Ishtar called three times today – the first two times I informed her that you were away at school and unable to talk, and the third time… Mr. Mokuba took care of it."

"I can only imagine what he said," Seto muttered, rolling his eyes. Despite herself, the young maid giggled slightly.

"There was also a call from a young lady, but she did not leave her name or a message, and the number was unlisted. However, I do believe she sounded similar to Mr. Mokuba' s last dinner guest – the one who got lost."

_Mazaki?_ he pondered, doubting that it could be anyone else,_ Why would she call?_

"And finally, Sir, Mr. Mokuba is in his room, on the phone with Ms. Hawkins."

"Thank you, Natalie," Seto replied, picking up the phone on the dresser as he entered his room," You may return to your duties."

L

"So, Operation: Lonely Hearts seems to be regaining stamina after this past weekend."

"That's right!" Mokuba breathed, nearly bouncing in his seat," Seto's actually going to Anzu's dance practice _on his own!_"

"Is he now?" Rebecca exclaimed," I was actually beginning to doubt that he would. I mean, with me being 'sick', he was given the perfect opportunity not to go… assuming of course that the classes were still torturous to get through, which seems now not to be the case. How in the world did you manage…?"

"I used reverse psychology, in a sense," Mokuba said with a laugh," I told him that since we weren't going, he wouldn't have to go."

"So he told you that he would?"

"Well… not in the exact words, but pretty much. He told me that he didn't have anything else to do, and that he would do whatever he pleased."

"I suppose it just depends on how _pleasing_ Anzu is, huh? But Mokie, how do you know that he's not just planning on going and working all night?"

"Because," he said, eyes sparkling mischievously," Seto just got home, and I can hear him rushing around. Business can go on any time, there's no reason for him to hurry. But Mademoiselle Sarcelle Dugin's dance instruction begins in 15 minutes."

"Of course. So, what do we know about Anz-"

Suddenly, the two heard a light click on the line. There was a brief moment of silence, before Rebecca picked up again.

"Mokie, I just don't know what to do!" she rasped, her once clear voice now the perfect sound of sickness," If they find out I'm pregnant-"

"Calm down Becky," Mokuba said with a sigh, catching on quickly," I think we should probably tell Seto first, you know, get the hardest part over with. I-"

"Mokuba Kaiba!" Seto's sharp voice filled the two teen's ears," As soon as I get home, we are going to have a looong talk."

"Yes brother," Mokuba said cheerfully. Seto slammed the phone down, and Mokuba and Rebecca broke into a fit of hysterics.

"N-nice one Becky! I kn-knew there was a reason I s-started going out with you!"

"Thanks!" she wheezed back, her voice no longer strained," I t-think the plan is going well – Seto chose going out over lecturing you!"

"Definitely a good sign."

L

Seto nearly felt himself struggling against the heavy air as he entered the upstairs loft of the dance academy. The atmosphere was cling wrap – clear and sticky, holding him back as he pushed against it. Turning his head slowly, he took in the view of the dance studio. The dancers, usually light, upbeat and chattering as they warmed up, now stretched in tense hush. Anzu was stretching at barre closest to the small sitting area where Seto stood. He hesitated momentarily, and then whispered to Anzu.

"Mazaki, what's going on here?"

Anzu looked up and stared at him ponderingly. Her eyes were a hazy and unfocused blue. She said nothing. Seto waved his hand in front of her face, and she jumped, as if startled by his not-so-sudden appearance.

"Kaiba." she said simply," I didn't think that you'd be here today." Anzu suddenly sighed, and nervously ran a hand through her hair. "Auditions today. For the solo in the recital. Madame surprised us today by changing the date – they were supposed to be Friday, but she said that who was prepared now deserved the solo."

"And are you prepared?"

The girl bit her lip," I don't know."

"How can you not know?" Seto snapped quietly. A few dancers looked their way, but then returned to their warm-ups.

"I don't know!" she hissed back, and for the first time, Seto noticed how puffy the skin around her eyes was, and how red her cheeks were.

"Come on Kaiba, you know the feeling. That feeling you get right before you present a new idea to a company board, or something like that. No matter how much you've researched and practiced, no matter how well you know your stuff, your stomach is still uneasy, and you just don't know if you can do it. I know you know what I'm talking about."

Seto scowled.

"I'm not going to know if I'm prepared or not until I get out there."

The was a moment of silence between the two as Anzu lifted her leg up to the barre and stretched to touch her toes.

"Where are Mokuba and Becky?" she inquired, still bent over.

"Rebecca is ill, so Mokuba went over to take care of her." he answered stiffly, suddenly realizing that the two of them were 'alone'.

"Ah."

The silence became uncomfortable, which Seto took as an indication that Anzu had come to the same conclusion he had. Anzu began to stretch vigorously while Seto attempted to look around with mild disinterest. It was difficult; Seto's mind seemed to want to stray back to the girl who stood just a few feet in front of him, bending and stretching her thin frame. He would tear his eyes away for a moment or two before finding it impossible not to look at her again. Something sharp pierced him on inside, digging itself in.

Finally, it seemed, Anzu had exhausted all of her warm ups. She glanced up at the boy just as he glanced down at her, and averted her eyes once before resigning herself to look him in the eyes. Seto tried to peruse the emotions that flickered behind her stare, but found that they moved too quickly –

_Anger-guilt-confusion-sadness-confusion again-something-_

She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a voice coming from the center of the studio.

"Eef you vill please, come to dee front, and ve vill begin de auditions for de solo." Madame Dugin proclaimed. There was a noticeable increase in the already taut air as Anzu pulled away from Seto and from the barre, and quickly moved to the other side of the loft. She sat down on the wooden floor and crossed her legs, her back to him. Seto settled himself into one of the plush old armchairs of the waiting area.

"I 'ope that all of you 'ave practeeced and ah ready for de auditions. I vish you all good luck, and vill now take volunteers before I call names."

At that very moment, Anzu looked back at him over her shoulder. Abruptly the sharpness returned, tugging at him viciously. Her blue eyes revealed a plethora of nervousness, and Seto suddenly wished he could alleviate her worries.

_If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, Seto_, the voice in the back of his mind said with an amused sigh, _You're going crazy._

"Now, vould any of you like to volunteer, or vill I 'ave to begin calling names?"

Seto waited for Anzu to speak up. The studio remained silent. Madame Dugin rolled her eyes," Oh come now, eet ess not like I vill bite. I really do not vant to call names."

A petite red head sitting next to Anzu nervously raised her hand. "I will go first, Madame."

The woman clapped her hands together," Very well, let us begin then!"

Strangely nervous, Kaiba felt his muscles tense and anxiety build up where they contracted. On edge he felt, as if at any moment he could take a plunge across some undefined abyss. The feeling was disconcerting. Anxiety mounted as each dancer moved to the front while Anzu sat firmly in place. With less than mild interest he watched the same solo, over and over again. Certainly, every dancer performed differently – some with more skill than others, but Seto quickly realized that these variations weren't enough to keep his attention. The agitation spread, thin and sharp; Kaiba's finger's danced across the worn fabric of the chair, pattering softly in almost perfect time with his heart. The music stopped, as it had many times before, but on this occasion, Seto felt his skin prickle, like a ghostly body moving through him. The silence of the loft was suffocating, nerve-wracking, and he felt himself holding his breath in edgy anticipation. Slowly, with no more sound than her feet lightly brushing across the floor, Anzu stood and made her way to the front of the loft. All eyes fixed on her, but none were more transfixed than his. A penetrating and heavy weight coiled itself around his gut, twining itself up his body, crushing his heart until it pounded wildly, squeezing his lungs until he felt asphyxiated by the unknown pressure. In one flicker of a moment Anzu looked across the room, her ocean eyes snagging his and dragging them along as her gaze continued towards Madame Dugin. She nodded, and it took all of his self will not to nod along with her. The French woman's finger pressed down on the 'play' button of the black and beaten stereo.

Seto began to take a deep breath as the music started, but then Anzu moved. His long drawn breath hitched in a manner that surprised and disconcerted him, however he was quickly distracted from his own thoughts as Anzu began move to the music. Her body followed a pattern similar to that he had seen the other girls perform, but the fluidity of each movement transformed the solo into a completely different choreography to the point at which it was nothing Kaiba had ever seen before. The music, which had before seemed tinny and weak, seemed to grow in timbre until it each beat pounded ruthlessly in his ears. As he watched Anzu, he felt her raw emotion; the feelings seemed to seep off of her in heavy, roiling waves that broke over him with enough force to draw him back to her like a stormy full-moon tide. She continued to dance, as swept up by the music and her own emotion as he was by her. Anzu leapt and landed effortlessly, muscles pumping vigorously. Seto could barely follow her actions, but yet took in every movement. Then she spun, and he felt himself being reeled in; it wasn't until he heard the creak of springs in the ancient armchair that he realized he had been leaning in, closer, closer. Like the music her body moved lithely into a crescendo, arms and legs sweeping majestically in a way that he had never seen her move before.

Suddenly, _before he was ready_, the music ended, drenching the loft in near silence again. The only thing Seto could hear was his own breath, ragged and gasping as if he had been plucked from the water and left to flop helplessly on the land. Taking a deep, shaky, breath Seto allowed his gaze to settle firmly on Anzu who, to his surprise, stared directly back. She too breathed heavily, and along her face was strung a mishmash of expressions from weary contentedness to fish-gaping shock. Hesitantly Anzu smiled – _smiled, at him!_ – then stood from the final position of her solo audition. A brief curtsy and a moment of stupefied applause was all she needed before she quietly tread back to the place she had been sitting before. The moment she sat, Kaiba felt the strangling threads of anxiousness loosen, allowing him to regain the clear mind he had taken leave of while she stood.

Part of him, a good part of him, reviewed what had just happened. Analytical, the voice in his mind that for a time had been quiet spoke up again, revealing to him the reality of only a few moments ago. Anzu had danced. He had been enthralled. Engaged. Ensnared. It was foolish, that voice continued, to think of anyone in such a way, to let one's cold strengths be so blatantly undermined and his weaknesses revealed. This sensibility began to build up in him, attempting to push away the emotion he had felt as she danced. But then, _tout a coup_-

She looked back.

She looked back, and she smiled at him again, eyes luminescent with a sparkling joy Seto couldn't recall ever seeing before.

The icy analyzer vanished, replaced by that grating voice which had found a comfortable niche in his thoughts over the past few weeks.

He grinned back to her.

_Seto Kaiba hasn't just melted, _the voice muttered in partial disbelief, _he's undergone sublimation._

And at that moment, Seto wished that he knew more about chemistry.

L

Breathless.

Blood didn't just flow – no, it pumped, _pounded_, through veins, until she thought that she was going to explode. Anzu gasped for breath, pulling in every bit of oxygen she could as if her sanity depended on it. She had danced. She had smiled. And, what's more –

He was smiling back.

With all of her might she convinced her body that it needed to continue to intake oxygen, when really all she wanted to do was float away, leaving everything behind but the ecstatic euphoria that now charged her very being. The loft, which when she entered had been plagued with an air that darkened the space, now seemed to shine ethereally; she wondered briefly if would wake up soon, passed out on the floor of the tense and gloomy loft she last remembered.

Seto's grin held her in place and seemed to magnify own expression until she thought that surely all that must be left of her face was one, big, smiling mouth.

_He must be smirking about what a fool you're making of yourself, or about some kind of devious plot or… or…_

But the smile seemed genuine, one he usually reserved only for Mokuba, and one that few others besides his younger brother ever even saw a trace of.

_Breathe Anzu. Breathe_. The more rational section of her mind reminded her. Although the loft was silent as the next girl prepared for her audition, the music of Anzu's solo still seemed to throb around her as if its chords had been permanently etched into the surrounding air. The beat pounded in rhythm with her heart, throbbing powerfully in her chest.

His eyes were sparkling brilliantly – two blue fire burning sapphires. The grin that stretched across his lips seemed so natural that she knew to the core that it was genuine. Anzu had caught a glimpse of Kaiba, the true Seto Kaiba. And… she had been the one to induce it. Her, and her dancing.

The solo-

Her mind was racing as she recalled what she had done, how she had danced. The memory was little more than an outline, as her every action seemed to have been effaced by her nervousness, her emotion, and now the pleasing reaction she had seen in Seta Kaiba. Slowly she began to reconstruct what she had done, how she had danced, and as she did so she became more excited. Maybe, just maybe, she had a chance. If possible, her smile widened even further. She knew she must be grinning like some crazily drunken fool, but she didn't care. Unexpectedly Seto shook his head and let loose a low chuckle, laughing as if he too felt the same lightheaded disbelief she did and was equally amused by it. His chuckle swirled close to the floor towards and spun to her, moving up her entire body before it decided to stay and dance in her ears. Anzu shivered slightly, but felt no chill. It was then she knew, more so than any time before, that she had gone insane.

A husky laugh escaped her lips and mingled in the air with his. The cacophony of their meeting, along with the sound of her pounding heart was surely drawing the attention of every person in the room, yet no one looked their way. Another student was up at the front dancing and faltering after having seen Anzu's intimidating performance. It was just the two of them, locked in the moment, in their own stream of emotion.

Anzu took a deep breath and locked eyes with the man who now stood in front of the old gray armchair. Exhaling she forced every worry and pain out, knowing that, at least for a while, she would be alright.

L

Kaiba had shaken on it, but that didn't mean that he felt comfortable leaving Anzu in Kaiba's hands. Nor did that mean that he would ever fully accept her decision.

Ryou undid the buttons of the dress shirt he wore for work with shaking fingers. In his mind, he marked the day as one of the most unpleasant he had ever undergone. First, there was Yami's decision that Anzu should quit dance and the subsequent breakdown of trust and most likely friendship that followed. Then there was the confrontation with Kaiba, who, while not completely aware, still seemed to grasp the situation that Ryou had spoken about to him. Finally there was the drudgery of working at the museum with a director whose unbearable mood Ryou could only chalk up to that most unpleasant time of the month. Over all, it had been a miserable day for Ryou.

He was still trying to make sense of everything that had happened at lunch. Really, he hadn't been that surprised when Anzu revealed where so much of her time had been siphoned to. He wasn't even surprised when Anzu broke in front of him and Yami. Over the past few months he had seen it coming, even while relations between Anzu and Yami still bordered on more than friendship. Anzu was her own person and was intelligent enough to see, as Ryou had quickly seen, Yami's alpha position in their group of friends. Ryou had had a feeling from the beginning that there would be either and explosion or a meltdown. Admittedly, he was somewhat surprised to see both occur at the same time. He knew himself well enough to understand his own feelings and reactions when Anzu told them about Kaiba and her lies, and had watched Yami enough to have expected his reaction also.

Ryou had been hurt that Anzu had lied to him, and on more than one occasion. They were – or at least had been – best friends, regardless of Ryou's own feelings. He could understand why Anzu would want to keep her mishap encounters with the Kaiba's secret from the rest of the group; as soon as the name 'Kaiba' was brought up amongst that crowd, they turned from a group of relatively peaceful teenagers to a mass of violent reactionaries. However, he just didn't know why she wouldn't talk to him about everything that was going on. Ryou wondered if maybe subconsciously, Anzu was aware of his feelings for her, and had kept quiet for his benefit. As soon as the idea crossed the threshold of his mind, Ryou knew that that was the answer.

Anzu had tried to kill two birds with one stone; she had tried to protect him from the painful truth and her from the hidden viciousness she had detected in those she called her friends.

The ironic thing was that, besides lying some, Anzu had done nothing wrong. It was not as if she had cheated on him with Kaiba, or had plotted with Kaiba against the lives of Yami and the rest of the group. All she had done, whether she realized it or not, was try and find herself a shelter before the rain of her life drenched and drowned her. It was just that…

Kaiba had become her shelter. Kaiba had become her safety, her stability.

Not him.

And that was what hurt Ryou the most. The fact that some part of Anzu felt as though she couldn't come to him, couldn't trust him to hold her up. Maybe he couldn't, and she knew that. Maybe she had wanted to be strong and stand up on her own, and Kaiba had simply been the only one around to catch her when she fell. Anzu had lived a heavy life, and it had finally all come crashing down on her.

Clenching his fists, Ryou determined that he would not make anything more difficult for Anzu than it already was. He would be there for her if she needed him, and be supportive of any decision she made. That was what she needed more than any kind of instructions or charity.

Ryou stopped, realizing that he had been walking aimlessly for the last twenty minutes as he allowed himself to be overruled by his thoughts. He looked up from the sidewalk and saw that his feet had taken him to the front of Anzu's apartment complex. Looking at his watch, he knew that she would not yet be home from dance. This was the moment where he made his decision – he could go up and wait for her, talk to her, or he could leave now, leaving behind the unasked questions that still existed between them and had the potential to rip them apart forever.

He was half way to the stairwell when he noticed something in the parking lot that caught his attention and made him stop, dead in his tracks. A sleek silver car was parked a few spaces down, reeking with an over the top elegance that the other tenants of the lot lacked. Only for a split second did he entertain the thought that maybe Mai had invited one of her millionaire designer friends over for a cup of tea. Ryou knew exactly who the car belonged to. He had seen it before over a year ago, but the memories were still glaringly fresh in his mind.

"_Damnit_." he muttered as he dug his cell phone out of his pocket_," This is not a good time._"

L

Anzu did a pretty little spin, slipped, and ended up smacking Kaiba in the face as she flailed to regain her balance. The man scowled and grabbed her arm, forcefully righting her.

"Sorry Seto!" she said, managing to keep a straight face for a millisecond before a rising giggle undermined her true lack of sincerity.

"Whoever stereotyped dancers as being graceful obviously never met you," he replied, rolling his eyes and Anzu skittered ahead yet again, leaping and twirling animatedly.

"Well that's odd - I think that whoever stereotyped you as being an insensitive jerk did a pretty good job." She turned to face him and attempted to appear serious but, just like her attempt to be apologetic, failed. Having already decided that any self restraint would be both pointless _and_ impossible Seto let out a chuckle; the delight in the girl's form was contagious. Her smile widened and she came towards him, finally falling into place at his side. He couldn't think of an instance prior to that moment that he had seen the girl so truly happy. Other times, he decided, that he'd seen her happy and smiling were mere phantoms compared to the joy Anzu radiated as she skipped to keep up with his long strides.

"If I was truly such an 'insensitive jerk', would I have offered to escort you home?"

The question, in part, was addressed to himself along with Anzu, although he had a feeling that neither would come up with a satisfying answer.

"Possibly. Now that my position as a world famous dancer has been secured, you wish to become part of my inner circle, so as to bask in the well placed social connections I am soon likely to amass." Her voice intentionally took an airy, Hollywood dreamer type of tone which Kaiba broke with a primitive snort.

"Of course Mazaki. One solo and you are a world famous dancer. Because that makes perfect sense."

Anzu's hands went to her hips and her nose rose in the air as she closed her eyes and drew her lips together, all in all looking the offended star.

"Now that, Mister Kaiba, is no way to speak to a celebrity."

"No, but it is the perfect way to speak to a want to a delusional, want to be diva."

The girl mock gasped, affronted. "Why I never! You arrogant upstart!"

"Bathos prima donna" he shot back.

"Aggravating, intolerable-"

"Obnoxious cheerleader-"

"jerk, insufferable mongrel-"

"mindless tree hugger-"

"bastard, stubborn, egotistical- Hey! I do not _hug trees_!"

"Agitating friendship girl." Kaiba finished, a smirk gracing his features. Anzu smirked back, despite having been out insulted by him. Like him, she had come to the realization that they were arguing again.

"It appears as though everything is back to normal," he said, and Anzu nodded slowly, almost dreamily, confirming his suspicion that she was actually taking pleasure in the long-sought normalcy of the situation.

He knew he was.

"So," she said, her eyes sizing him up," if I'm so obnoxious, so agitating, why did you insist on escorting me home?"

Her voice was light, still holding the playful edge of their previous argument, however he sensed a flutter of urgency beneath the banter and smiles. Something within him stirred, warning him that his answer could have a greater importance that he realized. It made him uncomfortable. He thought for a moment.

"Because if I hadn't, you would have found some way to get yourself into some kind of life threatening danger, and as soon as Mokuba found out, he would blame me for your misfortune." Somewhere deep down, Kaiba knew that that wasn't the right answer, and even deeper down he knew that neither Anzu nor himself would believe it to be true.

Anzu put a slender finger to her chin, thinking," You're right," she finally said," It would have started raining and I would have ended up catching pneumonia from getting rain drenched, and it would have been your fault because you still haven't gotten me a new umbrella."

"Again with the umbrella, Mazaki?" he said with a feigned scowl," That seems to be all I ever hear from you. Umbrella this, umbrella that, umbrella, umbrella, umbrella!"

Walking on, he continued to mutter about Anzu's umbrella fixation under his breath. It wasn't until he heard a bellow of laughter that he realized Anzu had fallen behind, and was now out from under the cover of his umbrella, doubled over and soaking wet. Her face was red but radiant as she clutched her sides and shook with uncontained mirth. With a sigh he turned around and walked towards the giggling girl.

"What is it now?" he asked, casting his eyes to the heavens.

"I-it's y-you!" she replied, her gasping breaths causing her speech to hiccough.

"What about me?"

Anzu took a deep breath, but didn't let go of her heaving sides. "You- you sounded s-so funny! Go-going on about the umbrella a-and-" she burst into laughter again.

Rain steadily coursed down from the dark sky, tracing the lines of her narrowed eyes and rolling down her flushed cheeks. The rivulets of water then dropped onto her shoulders and the rest of her frame, causing her white tee-shirt to cling to her frame and reveal the lines of the leotard she still wore underneath. As Seto observed the girl, he felt the same sharp pain hook into him, this time pulling – no, _dragging_, him closer to her. Suddenly he felt warm, flushed and light headed as if he had been laughing for too long while spinning in circles. Without a thought, he closed his umbrella, allowing the cool rain to fall down on him.

On some subconscious level of thought, Anzu realized that it was raining, no, pouring, the clouds unleashing their water mercilessly to soak them to the core, and that the two of them stood unprotected, accepting the full brunt of the sky's sorrows. She realized that the streets were empty, the sidewalks completely abandoned but for she and him. She realized that he had drawn nearer to her – near enough for her to feel the sheer heat radiating off of him. She realized although her gasping laughter was beginning to subside, her heart was still racing, nearly pumping and pounding out of her body. But these realizations were all later processed, merging to form a sort of after-the-fact replay. She finally recovered from her laughing fit, uncrossed her arms from her waist, and stood fully. At that very moment, all she was aware of was the fact that Seto Kaiba was now standing very, very, close.

Seto's face loomed over hers, and she resolved to turn her eyes and face up to his. Her face flushed even redder, as if she had suddenly succumbed to a fever. They stood there for half a heartbeat in silence, simply staring at each other. Around the two, rain drops hit the pavement with an increased intensity, bringing the earthly orchestra to a full, pounding crescendo.

"What about me… is so amusing, Anzu?" Seto whispered huskily, his voice barely audible over the melody of the rain. His ocean eyes never flickered away from her sky blues, but held her there, just as intensely as she held him.

Before either could register what had happened, they drew closer, bodies now lightly touching. Anzu's hands somehow found their way to his chest; Seto's rested lightly on her hips. The tips of their noses touched.

"_Everything_," she breathed.

Anzu titled her head slightly, Seto lowered his, lips nearly brushing.

There was darkness as two pairs of eyes fluttered closed, and they drew impossibly closer with miniscule movements. She could hear his breath, ragged, feel it warm the raindrops on her cheek. He could feel her hands tighten slightly around his shirt, feel her lips so close to his.

"_Oh, the boat, you know she's rockin' it_

_And the truth, you know there's no stopping it'_

_The boat, you know she's still rockin' it-"_

Anzu and Seto jerked apart, eyes exploding open. Music blared loudly from the messenger bag which rested across her shoulder. Seto could hear her curse under her breath as she dug into the bag, and pulled out an angrily buzzing cell phone. She sighed as she looked at the caller ID.

"Ryou." she whispered, raising her eyes to send him a look of desperation. He saw her hands twitch, in an indecisive movement to answer.

"Don't." Seto suddenly commanded, his voice icy. Her hands stopped, and her eyes widened, as if understanding every reason for his interference.

"You're right." Anzu conceded. Pressing a button on the side of the phone, the noisy machine slipped into silence mode.

Rain rushed down the sides of her face, curving around her eyes and streaking down her quickly blanching cheeks. For a moment, had Seto not known any better, he would have thought that the girl was crying.

L

"_Hi, you've reach Anzu. I'm not here right now, so please leave a message after the beep!"_

Ryou cursed as Anzu's cheerfully recorded voice broke his tense quiet. Gripping the phone more tightly, he waited for the promised tone. Finally, it came.

"Anzu, please, it's me, pick up the phone! For God's sake, answer! Anzu, look, please, I'm sorry about everything that happened before but just ignore that for right now – I'm over at your place and _they_ are here and you have to do something! Please, just call me back!"

Slamming his phone shut, he cursed again. This was not turning out to be his day. Resigned, he walked away from the apartment complex, knowing that if he were caught, there would be hell to pay.

L

The walked in silence, Kaiba holding his umbrella above them. Anzu took a deep breath.

"I should call back and see what he wanted. Or at least listen to the message."

There was a moment of silence.

"You should." Kaiba replied. "But do you want to?"

"He's my best friend," she said weakly.

"That doesn't answer my question."

She stared up at him, hoping that the fixedness of her frustration would cause him to look at her, just once. He stared forward, eyes unmoving.

"You're one to talk," she grumbled," You never answer my questions."

"I don't? I'm positive that I've answered every question your little mind has ever spewed out. And trust me, that has been a difficult task, as you never seem to stop asking inane questions."

"But yet, you're so sure that you've come up with an answer for every one of my questions. That seems inane in itself, Kaiba."

They were nearing her apartment building – she could already see it from where they were on the sidewalk. All Anzu wished for now was to be home, warm and dry in her living room, curled up on the couch. Glancing up to the man next to her, she decided that, at that moment, the Dragon was an optional fixture in that scene.

"Your attempt at changing the subject has been noted and appropriately shot down," he remarked, looking down to her and catching her gaze," Now tell me. Do you want to?"

_Is it just me_ – she thought, eyes widening some - _or was there more behind that question than there should have been?_

As is reading her mind, Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Get your mind out of the gutter Mazaki, you know what I meant."

There was something in his voice though, that still caught in her mind, sending up small red flags. As if he didn't fully believe what he said he meant. Anzu paused, silent in thought as her feet carried her nearer to home. Sky blue eyes shifted to scrape across the sidewalk.

"I. I'm not sure."

"Then don't."

The conviction in Kaiba's voice was startling. The emotion, nearly overwhelming. Anzu's eyes tore away from the ground and once again fixed themselves to his sharply cut visage.

"You don't want me to call him." she said simply. Kaiba blinked, as if taken aback by her words.

"Ridiculous." he said, sounding affronted. "Why should I care about what happens between you and your little lover boy?"

Anzu's brow furrowed and her eyes returned to their previous place on the sidewalk. There had almost reached the stairwell that would deliver her to her front door. She didn't know why, but his words were accompanied with a hot, sinking feeling at the pit of her stomach, and a glazing over of her eyes. They reached the stairs. Anzu quickly took the first step up, placing herself somewhat in front of Kaiba. He snapped the umbrella shut and followed her as she slowly moved up the stairs.

"That's true," she replied carefully," I forgot that you didn't care about anyone or anything."

The only noise that came from the man behind her came from his heavy footfalls as he treaded behind her. She continued on, the words he had spoken before tearing a larger gash inside of her.

"It must be nice, never having to concern yourself with the petty matter of feeling strongly about some one else."

Although he again was silent, Anzu could feel the hot anger rolling off from him. She paused for a moment as she reached the stair landing, then felt herself jerk forward as Kaiba ran into her from behind. Anzu had not realized how close he was behind her. Continuing, she turned on the landing to climb the next set of stairs, saying nothing in apology. Only a few more steps, and she would be outside of her apartment. Digging for her keys in her bag, she continued.

"Although I will say it must be an utter waste for all of those little fan girl groups to chase you around – you being epicene and all."

Finally, she reached her doorway. As she moved to place the key in the deadbolt, Anzu felt herself roughly tugged by the arm. Spun around, she now looked upon the red and angry face of a Dragon. Kaiba scowled down at her, but it was the near growl she heard in his voice that caused her to back up until her back bumped up against the door. On the inside, she was trembling, unsure of what he would do in his rage, but Anzu stared up at him trying hard to appear unfazed. His scowl deepened but he drew nearer in a movement that struck Anzu as familiar, although at the moment she couldn't place it.

"Epicene?" he rumbled," Impressive vocabulary Mazaki."

"Thank you. I find it fitting." Her voice snagged; She struggled not to tremble.

"Well I don't. If I were as asexual as you claim, would I be standing here?"

Suddenly Anzu's knees seemed to fold in on themselves – her hands flew to his arms and clung for support.

_He should _not_ be having this effect on me_, her mind tried to scream, but even in the caverns of her brain, the thought came out as a dulled whisper. His face moved in closer; in an uncontrollable but familiar reflex, she tilted and raised her head. At that moment it was if everything seemed to shine with an unusual clarity – Seto's eyes were jagged and brilliant, his face clear and close. Her thoughts became concrete, but confused. Seto's lips hovered over hers again.

"How come you get all of the last-word one liners?" Anzu said suddenly, lips lightly sweeping against his as she did so. Seto blinked, but didn't draw back. Instead, his eyes seemed to light up. Suddenly Anzu could read every emotion, each thought magnified by a clear piece of ice – confusion, amusement, and something that reminded her of…

"I'm not going to let you ruin the moment again Anzu," Kaiba whispered.

"Sorry." She was transfixed, frozen in a wave of cerulean, burning in the most sapphire heart of a flame.

"Don't be."

One of Seto's hands moved above her head to seek support on the door, the other rested on her shoulder. She could feel him shaking as he drew in a breath. He felt so close, his lips moved to hers.

Anzu lurched back and Kaiba jolted forward, suddenly lacking the support of the door. With surprising speed, Anzu caught herself, but Seto, taken by surprise, did not react fast enough and fell into the smaller girl. The door had opened up from the inside, causing them to lose balance. There was a moment where everything was still, Seto still pressed in the arms of the girl whose body had stopped his fall.

"_Anzu Mazaki!" _a voice rang out from behind the girl.

Seto felt the girl against him stiffen. He regained his balance and moved away from her, to allow Anzu to turn around. However, she did not – instead, she stood facing him, deathly still, eyes narrowed and body tensely erect.

"Hello Mother," she responded venomously.

L

Deviant that he was, Mokuba Kaiba had little to no resistance to the whims of his even more cunning girlfriend. While she claimed her crafty ways were the result of higher intelligence, Mokuba continued to believe that it was the college education that had transformed Rebecca from the cutely innocent if not somewhat psychotic little girl he had first met to the extremely tempting yet still psychotic girl that now laid across the foot of his bed, flipping through her notebook of "Battle Tactics".

"Are you sure you should be here Becky?" Mokuba asked, although in all honesty he couldn't think of anywhere else he'd rather her be. "If Seto comes home and finds you here, he'll know you're not sick and we'll both be busted."

Rebecca looked up from her work and smiled devilishly," Don't worry Mokuba. You called your brother, right?"

Mokuba nodded," Yea, and he didn't pick up. His phone is never off, so I guess it was on silent."

"That must mean that Seto is… otherwise occupied," she said, her face a mixture of triumph and suspicious disgust.

Mokuba's eyes widened," You don't think that they, _you know_?"

In contrast, Rebecca's eyes scrunched closed," Eww, no! How could you think like that Mokie?" Her face burned red, but she then managed to regain control," No! What I mean is that he's probably somewhere with Anzu, and eventually, he'll check his cell phone. He'll see that you called and call back, so we'll have a loose time frame for when I'll need to book."

"But Rebecca, we don't know that he's with Anzu…"

"He is," she said assuredly," Where else could he be?"

The boy rolled his eyes. "Seto? Oh, I could think of a thousand other places he'd rather admit to being."

He bit his lip as his girlfriend shot him a pointed look. "Ok. Well, maybe like, two other places. But still…"

"You're worrying Mokuba… that's unlike you."

Mokuba couldn't help chewing on his lip even harder.

"Well, you know-"

"_Oh, love,_

_Oh, lover boy,_

_What'd you do tonight?_

_Oh, hey boy-"_

The boy blinked as he felt the cell phone in his pocket begin to vibrate. However, he didn't recognize the ringtone. He glanced to Rebecca, who only giggled.

"_Oh, lover boy_

_What'd you do tonight?"_

"That's probably Seto calling in. You ought to answer it… _lover boy._"

He shot Rebecca a glance that fell somewhere between loving and acidic. Digging his cell phone out of his pocket, Mokuba looked at the caller I.D., which flashed on the front screen. His brows furrowed, and he flipped open the phone.

"Hello, Mokuba Kaiba speaking."

After a moment, Mokuba's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Oh, hi! No, I haven't seen Anzu. Why do you ask?"

He listened for a moment, and Rebecca focused in on trying to read the boy's face.

"Hm, yea, I guess they have been around each other a lot recently. But no, I haven't heard from her or Seto. I know he went out to go to her dance practice- Oh. _Oh._"

"I can give you his number, although he didn't pick up when I called him a bit earlier- I'm sure she's fine though. Anzu's a tough girl, and if Seto's with her, no one will mess with her."

There was obviously a sour reply to Mokuba's last statement, for Mokuba scowled in defense of his brother.

"Please remember, he is my brother, and I have complete faith in his gentlemanly conduct." He said icily. Even from where she was on the bed, Rebecca could hear a rushed but apologetic reply.

"I understand, it's okay. You're worried. But I'm sure she's fine. I know she'll be alright. Oh? _Oh?_ You mean- wait, wait a second." Mokuba's expression rose a notch closer to one of mild panic. "Slow down. NeoCorp? Disapproval? Her-?"

He paused again.

"I know she'll be alright. I'll call Seto again immediately. Try Anzu again. No, no. – Of course – Right, I understand. It will be alright, don't worry. – Alright. I'll talk to you soon. Bye, Ryou."

With a sigh, Mokuba closed his phone. His eyes sank to the ground, scanning the carpet for sudden answers to sudden questions.

"Was that Bakura?" Rebecca finally asked. Mokuba nodded, suddenly seeming weary and worried.

"Yes."

He leaned up against the base of the bed, and raised his arm to grab her hand. He squeezed tightly.

"Becky? What's if we're doing the wrong thing? What's if what we're trying will affect more than just Anzu and Seto, or you and me?"

She pursed her lips, and thought for a moment. Her eyes lit up after a moment of pensive thought, then darkened as she realized the implications.

"_Oh."_

L

At the first, startled, observation, the woman who stood behind Anzu was an almost exact mirror image of Anzu herself, only in chic business attire rather than Anzu's ragged looking shirt and leotard. The woman shared Anzu's compact but well built structure, for Kaiba saw that she was lean and curvy in all of the same places Anzu was – not as though he had noticed the curvature of Anzu's body until that moment, of course. Anzu's mother had the same rounded face, carrying the same sharp nose and full lips. It was only after Kaiba further viewed mother and daughter that he saw the differences in the two – for the first time, it occurred to him that Anzu was most likely of half Western descent. He saw that her mother carried the fully Japanese traits that Anzu simply did not; Anzu's wide eyes were a brilliant blue, while the glance Seto earned from her mother was narrow and deeply brown, and Anzu's hair was a light shade of brown, a contrast to the near black of her mother's hair.

"Anzu, darling! Turn around so I can see your lovely face!"

The words were unsurprising coming from a mother, but something in the woman's tone, paired with the look of disgust on Anzu's face clued Seto in to a deeper displeasure. Anzu stood facing him for a moment, before grudgingly turning around to face her mother.

"Don't call me that," Anzu replied, her voice heavy.

Her mother only smiled, and grabbed her daughter's chin, lifting and turning so as to get a precise picture of the girl Anzu had become. She then stepped back and gave Anzu a once over with the coldly appraising eye of one assessing an heirloom that had long ago lost its sentimental value.

"You're getting a little pudgy, aren't you dear?" Her mother finally said, smiling like a shark.

Seto's jaw nearly dropped. If Anzu had even an ounce of fat on her, in must be have been hidden somewhere he'd never seen. He had certainly looked.

"Well maybe if you and father had let me continue dance, I would have avoided putting on any of this weight you apparently see on me."

Not at all the reaction Kaiba was expecting from the usually feisty girl. Anzu abruptly grabbed Seto's hand and pushed past her mother into her apartment. As soon as she passed the older woman, Anzu stopped, causing an unaware Kaiba to lightly bump into her back.

"Hello Father." Anzu said stiffly. Looking beyond the girl, Kaiba saw an older man, clad in suit and tie, sitting at Anzu and Mai's small kitchen table, clasping a small piece of paper and scowling.

"Anzu." he acknowledged," How intuitive of you to bring up your dancing." Unfolding the paper, he read aloud what was written. " _Mme Dugin, Dance Classes Monday through Friday._"

The pale blue eyes of her father met Anzu's sapphire orbs. She paled considerably.

"Vater, bitte, I can explain-"

Seto, unsure of what to do, moved further into the apartment and settled on the edge of the couch of the joined living room. His muscles tensed even as he did so. While Kaiba wasn't completely sure why, he was silently preparing himself to defend Anzu – be if physically or verbally. The tension that filled the small apartment was thick, but only overwhelmed by the hatred he could feel literally radiating off of Anzu. There was no love between parents and offspring, that much proved evident.

"Silence, Anzu." Her mother cut in.

"You understand the boundaries we set for you when we allowed you to stay and live alone in Domino." Her father's Japanese held a faint German accent, which explained to Kaiba Anzu's semi-Western origins. "We made it clear that you were not to participate in any dancing instruction, or the next time you saw us you would be returning with us."

Kaiba saw Anzu straighten. A look crossed her face that Seto had seen before, although never on Anzu Mazaki. It was a business face, the face of a CEO or President or Director about to make a stand. Her eyes flared up dangerously.

"Cut the grandiose talk, Father, and get to the point. You wouldn't be upset with me over a few dancing classes unless it directly interfered with one of your own plans. I understand that this isn't simply a courtesy call. What do you two want?"

Her mother shook her hand, smiling grimly. "Ah, Anzu. You always were the bright one. Your father and I want you to come to Hong Kong with us and work with PR and International Expansion for the new branch."

"Because I'm the face of the new world?" Anzu replied, her tone vicious," Because I'm half Japanese and half German. Internationalism and brotherhood are lovely concepts to prattle on about in business, aren't they? Why don't you get Katja to do it? She's got the same genes."

At this, husband and wife shot each other a glance.

"Katja…" her father began," while quick to comply to direction, does not demonstrate the finesse for business you do, Anzu. Also, your sister has the tendency to become too… emotionally involved."

The girl shook her head. "I should have guessed. My older sister never had a chance, not between you two. She could play puppet for you for only so long, couldn't she? Believe it or not, beloved father, there's more to business than sheer _manipulation._"

"She was certainly more obedient than you ever were, Anzu Mazaki!" her mother exclaimed.

"Was?"

With a sigh, her mother brought a hand to her forehead. "Katja made the regrettable mistake of looking into the transfer of power in NeoCorp. As soon as she found out that your father and I had gained control of NeoCorp but informed Frei that the loss of his corporation was the fault Seto Kaiba, she left. She informed us that 'lying violated both moral and business codes'. Of course, we couldn't tell Frei that we usurped him from the throne he'd inherited from his father… the boy has too many connections in the Eastern European area – connections that we needed to retain."

Anzu froze in mid speech. It took her a moment to process what her mother had said. Kaiba had also paused, desperately trying to thread together the constantly fraying family story line.

"Wait. You said Frei? As in Axel Frei?"

Seto stood up from the couch abruptly. He'd made the same connection as Anzu. He took a few steps forward and stood at her side.

The other woman snorted," Of course I mean Axel Frei. Sweet boy, really, but a little high on his horse. Once his father passed away, he let the company go lax. It wasn't hard to wrest control from him."

"But you told him that it was Kaiba's fault that he lost his power and influence in the company?"

Her father frowned," You're not regularly so dense, Anzu Muhle."

Anzu's face turned red in fury," Only a few days ago Frei came to Domino, kidnapped Mokuba Kaiba and his girlfriend, and held them and Kaiba at gunpoint! He was going to kill Kaiba!"

Seto took a step past Anzu. He was livid. Parents or not, the desire to tear apart the two adults that stood smugly before he and Anzu was nearly overwhelming. Anzu grabbed him by the wrist, and squeezed tightly, sensing his rage. Her mother raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

"Oh? I never heard a word about such an event in the news."

"Kaiba paid to keep the event private." Seto replied coldly. Father and Mother regarded him for a moment, before finding him of little worth and turning back to their daughter.

"All very unfortunate, of course. But back to the matter at hand Anzu-"

With that phrase, all hell broke loose in the small apartment. Anzu began screaming at her parents all the while grasping Kaiba's wrist even tighter. Her parents argued back, loudly, and the three changed languages with each sentence, giving Kaiba no time to piece together the entire argument.

"_Je ne sortira jamais!"_ the younger girl screeched," _Et jamais_ _pour tes idees betes_!"

"There is no way that you will stay here!"

"_Und du, du-"_

"_Dancing is my dream_, and you're both perfectly content to crush me!"

"We've cared for you, funded _everything you've ever wanted, and this is how you treat us?_"

"_Et, et cet homme a presque nous tuer!"_

"Why can't you be more like-"

"Neither of you want me for anything more than some stupid mascot and-"

"We've paid for everything!"

"_You've paid for nothing!"_ Anzu roared in nearly flawless English. _"You've done nothing! You've never cared for anything more than your own welfare! That's why you never wanted me to dance; you were afraid that I would lose interest in business and leave you without a crutch. Well you know what? I am NEVER letting you control me, never again, and neither will my sister, now that she knows what monsters you are! Katja and I always were just pretty little dolls to make your company look better!"_

Anzu lunged forward, but Kaiba grabbed her by the shoulders and drew her to him. The girl was breathing heavily, muscles tense, eyes flashing angrily, wildly. Her mother and father allowed equal looks of disgust to penetrate usually tamed business faces.

"You, Anzu Mazaki, are a disgrace," her mother hissed. "We will not longer tolerate your flagrant disrespect for the boundaries we've set for you! Your father and I came all the way here from Berlin just to visit you, and when we get here, what do we find?!?" The woman's voice had remained steely, rather than rising in hysteria," You're off, directly disobeying the order we gave for you to quit dancing, and, and _cavorting_ with some lowly street _vagabond_ outside of your front door! For all of your 'charms', you'll ruin our reputation, no doubt!"

Anzu sent her mother a mocking smile. "You didn't come all the way from Berlin just to visit me. You're both on your way to Hong Kong – I was merely an afterthought to advance your business relations. You disapprove of me dancing because it means I'm interested in something other than business, something other than making life easier for the two of you. Lord forbid!" she bit out. "Lord forbid I try and work for myself. Lord forbid I try to support myself and enjoy my life at the same time!"

Anzu took a deep breath, and tore herself from Kaiba's grasp.

"Get out. Now."

"You have no right-"

"I have every right, Father. You have played no part in the rent of this apartment. In case you haven't noticed, I haven't spent a cent of the pity money the two of you ever so thoughtfully send me. Thus, there is nothing in this apartment you can call claim to, nothing you can legally claim as your reason for not leaving now. Now. Get out."

"Anzu Mazaki. We are your parents, legally-"

"You may be my parents, but you aren't my family, and you sure as hell aren't in control of my life."

Anzu stepped towards her parents, but they remained unmoving, apparently unfazed. The younger girl smirked, but her eyes grew icy. Kaiba had seen the same expression many a time. In himself.

"But before you go, I would like to personally introduce you to a good friend of mine."

Her voice was eerily congenial.

She took Kaiba by the hand; He took a step forward and stared her parents down, understanding Anzu's intention.

"Seto, meet Sebastian Haruka Muhle and Tomoya Mazaki, my father and mother, and joint CEOs of NeoCorp."

Seto only stared, unmoving. Anzu's smirk widened as the two adults viewed Seto with open disdain.

"Mother, Father. Meet Seto Kaiba, Founder and CEO of Kaiba Corp International, and _lowly street vagabond_." Anzu put extra emphasis on the last detail.

"Common courtesy demands that I say it's been a pleasure," Kaiba rumbled," But I believe it is even further outside the bounds of proper decorum to lie." The Dragon smirked, this time mirroring the girl next to him," I expect to meet the both of you again around a conference table. As a warning, I have _very high standards_ when it comes to business partners, and you have in no way met my expectations."

Sebastian stood up from the kitchen table, and Tomoya paled significantly under the twin stares of the fearsome teenagers.

"Next time you intend to indirectly kill myself, my brother, and your daughter, make sure to do so with more tact. Now leave."

The two adults made there way to the door.

"We'll be back to continue this conversation as soon as you are done _entertaining_ your _company_," Tomoya hissed, voice tight.

Anzu's parents stood in the corridor outside the door. Anzu came to the door.

"No. You won't. Goodbye Mother, Father."

And with that, Anzu slammed the door shut, locking it with the heavy deadbolt. The girl took a deep breath, and leaned against the wooden door, visibly shaking. Seto took a step closer, unsure of what to do. He imagined that Anzu was close to tears.

Suddenly Anzu stood straight and walked past him to her room. She slammed the door. Seto stood there in her living room, between a rock and a hard place. He certainly didn't think it was wise for him to stay, but he in no way wanted to leave and face Anzu's parents – not that he was concerned about managing them. He was simply exhausted of people, especially people like them, and he knew that if Anzu was not there to restrain him, there was the possibility that she would be an orphan by the end of their 'encounter'. No, Seto decided, it was definitely better for him to stay in the apartment, at least for the moment.

It was the scream that tore Seto from his thoughts. Although muffled, screams could be heard coming from Anzu's room, piercing enough to rocket through the walls and reach him. She was beyond upset or angry, she was furious. And, as far as Kaiba could tell, more furious than he or any of her 'friends' had ever seen her. After a few moments of animal like screeches, Seto clearly heard the sound of objects being hurled – pillows, books and-

"DAMNIT!" Anzu screamed as Kaiba registered the sound of breaking glass.

The entire apartment fell into silence. Slowly, Seto settled himself onto the couch. He absently flipped through the Fashion Magazine on the coffee table, then remembered the drawer. Pulling the drawer in the table open, Kaiba found that the Mazaki/Muhle family portrait was at the very top, as if Anzu had been recently regarding it. He now recognized her mother and father; The two looked exactly the same, despite the obvious years in between the time the picture was taken and the present. Anzu looked just as displeased in the photo as she did when she first set eyes on her parents again. Kaiba imagined that the other, older looking girl was the older child, Katja. Anzu's older sister – the older sister Anzu had conveniently never mentioned. Finally, agitated, Kaiba stood up. Did Anzu expect him to stay there? Did she _want_ him to stay there? Did _he_ want to stay there?

_You know you do._

"Shut up," he muttered to himself. For once, the voice complied. Having moved into the kitchen, Seto opened the fridge, trying not to be disgusted as he did so. It was no wonder Anzu was so slim – there was nothing edible for her in the household. Not that he had noticed she was so slim. Of course. Reluctantly, Kaiba took out his cell phone to order Chinese delivery. He had a feeling Anzu would be ravenous when she finally came out of her room, and Seto had no idea when Mai would be home. As he took out his phone, he saw an unusual message.

"_2 Missed Calls."_

Kaiba blinked. He then recalled that he'd set his phone to silent right before Anzu's dance class. Last time his cell phone had gone off during her practice, he had almost been kicked out of the building. That and he hadn't had the chance to change his ringtone to a less "Fergalicious" and more Seto Kaiba sort of ringtone. Flipping open his phone, he dialed his voicemail and listened.

"_Nii-san, it's me. Why didn't you pick up – you never have your phone on silent. Are you busy with Anzu? Look, anyway, I just got a call from Ryou, and he's concerned that you have kidnapped our beloved Anzu and whisked her away from safety. He mentioned something about her parents...? Anyway, call me back before you head home."_

Seto frowned. While everything Mokuba had said seemed normal, something in the tone of the boy's voice indicated worry – and a deeper worry than Kaiba finding out that Rebecca was at home with Mokuba without Seto's permission, which he imagined she was. There was something especially odd with his mentioned of Ryou, and how the boy sounded when talking about him. Kaiba made a mental note to question Mokuba about it when he finally got home.

He listened to the second message.

"_Kaiba, it's Ryou Bakura. Look, I don't know where Anzu is – she's not answering her phone – but I have a good feeling she is or was with you." _The British boy took a deep breath, as if calming himself," _Anyway, if she is with you, please keep her away from home for an hour or two – I dropped by a bit ago and her parents were there. Don't ask her any questions about it, and don't mention it to her, just keep her occupied. However you can. _(There was another pregnant pause) _Even if it means you being around her. Whatever. Just keep her away for a bit. Please, do this for her."_

And with that, Ryou had hung up. Seto slammed his phone shut and cursed. He cursed Anzu for not answering her phone, himself for telling her not to, Ryou for calling, for questioning, for caring so much.

_And why shouldn't he care? He is her best friend._

Kaiba didn't answer.

_Is it that you worry he's going to take Anzu from _you?

"Ridiculous," he grumbled.

"What's ridiculous, Kaiba?" Anzu suddenly asked. Kaiba jumped, and turned to see Anzu standing outside of her room, leaning on the door frame. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her blue eyes bright and dry.

"Your little loverboy called me, that's what."

Anzu scowled, looking offended. Something in Kaiba's mind went off. She suddenly slumped forward some, a defeated expression crossing her face.

"That time Ryou called… it was to warn me not to come home yet, because my parents were here. I just listened to the message."

Seto thought for a moment. "He called to tell me to keep you occupied and away from the apartment and not mention anything about your parents," he said simply.

"Hm." Oddly, Anzu's face looked unconcerned about the discrepancy of requests," Ryou's trying to protect me, I imagine."

Hearing a peculiar hollow ring in her voice, Seto wondered how truly shaken she was by the events of the day. First she'd been… betrayed, was truly the only word for it, by the people she'd put her trust and faith in, then despite all of that Anzu secured a victory in the form of her ballet solo… only to afterwards discover that her home had been invaded by the two people Anzu seemed to loathe even more than him – her parents. Seto allowed himself to be immersed in these thoughts, so it wasn't until he heard his own voice did he realize he had begun to ask her a question.

"Protect you from what?" Seto asked, the second part of the question coming out rather strangled sounding as he had been startled by the realization that he was speaking, but so surprised that he wasn't able to stop in time.

Anzu met his eyes, her own still brilliantly blue, shining, reminding Kaiba of the fighting spirit he often underestimated.

She shrugged," Yami, I imagine. My parents." Her eyes seemed to flick away from his face for a moment before she spoke again," You."

L

Well, that's all folks… for now. I really hope you enjoyed it, even after having to wait so long. I hope you enjoyed all of Seto's little hypocrisies, and, well, the building tension. I get such delight from these things.

Please review – while I've read over this chapter time and time and time again, I may have missed some things. I always love constructive criticism, or analyses, or just happy input. I'm shameless, I know.

Please don't kill me

Love

RR


	14. Sucker Punch

Wow. So, it's been almost three years since the last update. Um, uh, sorry about that guys. I've never forgotten about Like the Rain, and continue to hold a special place in my heart for Yu-Gi-Oh, the characters, and this story. About a zillion thanks go out to a dear friend of mine that I met at the University of Florida, who not only happened to be a huge YGO fan, but an old fanfiction writer like myself, and prompted me to start looking at (and writing) fanfiction again. HieiAijin1410, you are wonderful dahling. About a zillion more thanks go out to all of my readers and reviewers who, to this day, continue to read, review, and ask for more, even after three years of inactivity. This chapter, though painfully brief and written in patches over the past three years, is for you guys. I don't expect many of those who were avid readers years ago to come back, but I hope that all of you who are reading, new or old, enjoy this.

With any luck, posting this chapter will get things moving again. I've had an awful writer's block, and this chapter isn't all of what I had been planning so many years ago. But it's a start, right?

With love (and squalor), RR

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, or any of the characters and ideas associated with the manga and anime. All creative story and plot ideas that show up in LTR are expressly mine.

* * *

Like the Rain, but Revolutionnaire Rouge

Chapter Fourteen – Sucker Punch

* * *

Anzu wasn't at school. At first, he hadn't been particularly concerned – she was probably just running late, or had to take care of something in the office. Of course, that's why she wasn't in English as the first bell rang. However, as the other students began to trickle in from the crowded halls, it became all the more apparent to him that Anzu would not make an appearance that day. The other man [for that's what he had began to call the only other person who seemed involved in Anzu's life] sent him a sharp, meaningful glance. He tensed and scowled back, trying to convey what he was thinking: _I don't know where she is either!_

The first portion of the day was a nervous one. Through English and History his hand twitched every few minutes towards his pocket, where his cell phone and his contact with Anzu lay merely a few inches away. Had he less restrain he would have pulled away from his desk, strode out of class, and gone straight to her apartment. More than once it had crossed his mind; more than once he had started towards the doors in between changing classes. Only two doors and a few blocks kept him from her and knowing what had happened.

For the first time in a long time he was mindlessly and insanely obsessed. There was a noticeable atmosphere of desperation in each movement - his pen clicked forcefully across each paper in a hurried scrawl, as if moving faster would by some convention of physics bring him closer to his goal. He'd noticed that the other man was equally perturbed by her absence; once he'd glimpsed him looking woefully at the clock, then at his cell phone, and back to the clock again. It was mildly reassuring to know that he was not the only one concerned about Anzu's absence. At the same time, it was incredibly frustrating that that other man also seemed so intent on her, so anxiously devoted. When had he begun to think of that other man as a competitor? Had it not been that way for some time now, and he just begun to realize it? Was it not that he had begun to consider her to be his own? He shook his head many times that day, trying to rid himself of questions he was sure weren't entirely rhetorical.

* * *

"Kaiba."

His hand remained hovering over the door frame as he froze at the familiar voice. He didn't answer.

"Kaiba, what the hell are you doing here?"

At the tone in Ryou's voice, Seto Kaiba finally dropped his hand and turned around, a scowl already fixed on his face.

"What is it, Bakura? Is there some sort of law against me being here?"

"No." The British boy's voice was flat, annoyed. His expression matched Kaiba's to a 'T'. "But it is illegal to break and enter."

"It's not breaking and entering when you know where the key is," he spat back. Ryou's eyes narrowed as Kaiba revealed the key in his hand with a magician's flourish.

"What the hell are you doing here, Kaiba?" Ryou asked again after a pause.

"Making sure she's alright."

"Since when did that become your job?"

Kaiba didn't answer. Ryou took a step towards him and the door to Anzu's apartment. From his pocket Ryou pulled a key ring, selected a key with a single heart sticker at its top, and placed it in the lock. Without pulling his gaze away from Kaiba, he turned the key with a deft twist and opened the door.

"Go. Now." The tone was unmistakable, a sharp blend of fury and defensive spite.

"Ryou?" From inside the apartment, a clear and familiar note of concern. Both Kaiba and Ryou tensed.

"Hold on a sec, Anzu!" Ryou turned back to Kaiba with a fierce glance. Kaiba held steady for a single bitterly tense moment before unclenching his fist and dropping the key to the ground. The key hit the concrete with a dull ring. Kaiba turned on his heel and pounded down the stairs. Ryou hesitated at the door for a moment before picking up the key, placing it about the frame, and entering the apartment.

* * *

Ryou was one of those sensitive types that dreamed often and took those dreams seriously. Maybe it had something to do with having served as the vessel for a vengeful Egyptian thief – Ryou had learned in the most unpleasant of ways that the unsightly and unrealistic things in life were by far the most likely to be true.

Anzu, on the other hand, felt that all of that Freudian interpretation was sheer bullshit.

Nonetheless, when she broke away from her stream of sleep coated in a sheen of sweat, Anzu couldn't help but feel a tinge of nervousness flicker across her skin. Surely there was nothing behind those images, no true meaning to what fantasies her mind had created… she shook her head, working to cleanse herself of the vision brought to her in the REM hours. She was Anzu Mazaki – not Isis Isthar – and thus refused to take anything from what she had seen.

It was the sound of voices that finally tore Anzu from her avid act of denial. First, a hard exclamation, followed by a disgruntled undertone. Challenge, challenge, venomous defense, hesitation. She tried to capture one of the voices, identify, but their tones seemed to blend together – one person, one intent, but still two different –

"Ryou?"

Suddenly she recognized exactly who was outside of her door. Her question was one of confused concern, she didn't quite believe –

"Hold on a sec, Anzu!"

Yes, that was Ryou, without a doubt. Her stomach clenched as again she tried to deny the existence of the second voice. But now that she had caught Ryou's, there was only one other person…

The door closed with a firm click, followed by heavy steps Anzu knew were Ryou's form of politeness. She rolled over in her bed and reached over the side, grabbing a pair of sweatpants to pull on before Ryou entered. She flopped apathetically back onto her bed right as Ryou pulled the door open. He didn't knock. Anzu rolled onto her side, cradling her head with an arm so that she could see him.

"Hey." He leaned against the doorway, casually tense.

"Hey," she said softly, watching him with a new found curiosity. To her, his jaw seemed sharper, body more lithe, air, more imposing, more confident. Had she not known Ryou almost better than she knew herself, Anzu in that moment would have mistaken Ryou for his darker twin, Yami Bakura. But for all of the new found sharpness, his eyes were still soft, still Ryou. There was something though, something so off mark that she couldn't quite tell what was wrong.

"You okay?"

"I think that's what I'm supposed to ask you," he said, chuckling darkly. An unrestrained shiver crept up her spine, branching slowly into each limb like ice patterns forming on glass; she was numbed by this nearly unfamiliar Ryou. Anzu bit her lip, covering for her silence. Ryou raised an eyebrow, a corner of his taut lips lifting in an expression that told her he had called her bluff. Stalling, Anzu sat up and stretched her arms back, wincing as the joints popped loudly. She sat, paused for a moment in post stretch, arms lifting up and pulling away from her, palms up, as if she were trying to defrost herself through sun worship. The balance of her limbs above her was precarious, almost fragile despite the clear line of muscles under her clothing. The boiling turmoil inside overwhelmed the brute strength of the outside and Anzu melted, slumping forward with the smooth liquid motion of water, rolling down until she was nothing more than a chilled and slouching puddle.

"I couldn't face him today," she finally said. Sighed. Ryou closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them, he would not meet her gaze.

"Yami, or Seto?" The question was flat, forcefully disinterested.

"Either. Or."

He still did not meet her eyes, but Anzu didn't notice; she had averted her own gaze upon her answer.

"He was outside. Reaching for the spare key, Anzu."

Their eyes met at this statement – a charge racketed across Anzu's skin, prickling and scattering.

"Why?" The word slipped from her lips before they reached his, curious and frightened in the same moment.

"He didn't say. He merely contested that he had a reason and a right to be here. What happened last night, Anzu?" For the first time in their friendship, Ryou's words were coated with a sort of bitter insinuation. She sat speechless for a moment, taken aback by the thought.

"He walked me back from dance. My parents were here. He helped me fend them off. We ate Chinese, he went home. Nothing more, Ryou." She tread her words carefully; though she had nothing to hide from him, Anzu still felt as though any word could shatter the glass fragile thread that seemed to connect them now. Something had shifted, something she didn't understand that made her want to curl up and away, something that put her on the hard line defensive. As if she had to hide from him, more than she had before.

But the words seemed to work. The tight draw of Ryou's body went slack, as did the press of his lips. He again looked like Ryou. She took that moment of familiarity to spring.

"I got the solo!"

Only a moment ago so drawn in concern, Ryou's face rose up into a smile of genuine pleasure. In a return to his former self he leapt away from the doorframe hopped onto her bed, sweeping her up in a fierce hug. She hugged him back tightly, enjoying the return to normalcy. This was the boy that meant so much to her, her best friend and confidante. This was her Ryou.

* * *

Marik was tired of it.

For the past three days or so – seemingly endless days, in his mind – all he had listened to were the complaints of his older sister. His room was too dirty, the dishes weren't done, the work at the museum was exhausting, the staff was incompetent, and so on and so on. Perhaps the worst complaint was the one he heard most frequently: Seto was ignoring her. He wouldn't return her calls, she said, he was never available in his office, she said, he never came to visit, she said. Personally, Marik didn't blame Kaiba. He was having a hard enough time with Isis as it was, and Marik was merely her brother. He couldn't imagine having to handle her in a relationship.

Movement at his side, followed by a sudden warmth that filled the void of empty air besides him, indicated that Shizuka had sat down next to him. Marik sent her a friendly smile, which she returned with her own sweet but empty gesture. They began to talk, discussing classes, their day, the new English project. Around them, Honda and Duke were debating something loudly – which one of them would date Shizuka first, perhaps. Shizuka raised her eyes slightly, an abbreviated roll to let him know just how ridiculous she thought the other two men were being. Marik and Shizuka continued to go through their motions, stiff formalities compared to how they normally acted around each other. But no outsider would be able to tell, for both of them excelled at keeping quiet and keeping secrets. More than anything, Marik wished he could sigh and rest his head on Shizuka's shoulder, feel her hands through his hair, complain aloud to her about Isis, maybe then... But they were in the presence of friends, and thus could do nothing but sit and chat idly. It was for the best, after all.

The conversation lapsed into a moment of silence. Marik watched as Shizuka's eyes wandered around the courtyard; often she would stop in the middle of a sentence of a thought, merely to widen her eyes and watch something that was happening. She had told him once that, because she had come so close to being entirely blind, because she had come so close to losing it all, she now took every moment she could to see, to watch. In doing such, Shizuka had surprised Marik more than once when she revealed to him what she saw.

Now was one of those moments. He saw that her eyes had snagged on something interesting. Immediately she drew forward, coming closer to him than she ever did in public. Her lips rested only a few inches away from his ear, a thought which brought to Marik so much frustrating, unexpressed promise.

"He's watching her again," she whispered. Her words caught his attention, drawing him away from the distraction her light breath brought to his skin. Marik looked up sharply, eyes focusing in on Kaiba. Right as always, Shizuka was, though no one else might have picked up on it. Kaiba had bunkered himself under the willow tree again, and was fiddling with his cell phone. His appearance of business was deceiving, but now that Marik was aware, he could see Kaiba's sidelong glances, the brief moments when his eyes lifted over the phone's screen to gaze across the courtyard to where Anzu sat with Ryou on one side and Yami on the other. They had made up earlier, Yami and Anzu, in a tense bout of forgiveness. Yami was now bombarding her with details on the latest dueling system, while Anzu nodded patiently and Ryou, with a muted look of chagrin, ate his lunch. When Marik looked back to Kaiba, he saw that the other boy reflected Ryou's expression. Kaiba's eyes narrowed minutely before turning back to his work. But although he didn't realize it, he had been caught, again.

Marik nodded to let Shizuka know he too had witnessed what had happened.

"Isis isn't going to be happy," Marik said sourly, his brown face puckering in displeasure. Shizuka let out a slight snort.

"Do you think Kaiba would actually act on his feelings?" she asked quietly," He's an honorable man, but also a passive one. His relationship with Isis is a consistent one, and one that could help him later on. He doesn't seem to be the type that would go through the difficulty of breaking up and courting again, particularly when Anzu might be less useful to him than Isis, business wise."

He nodded again, not surprised by Shizuka's practicality.

"But what about love?" he asked, putting on a goofy grin that made Shizuka giggle," There is no way that Kaiba could love Isis. I don't even love Isis. But if he cares about Anzu…"

"Few people know that Kaiba is with Isis," she said quietly," But he is, whether for love or otherwise. But if anyone ever found out, it would probably go unquestioned – your sister is a big figure in the media, with all of her work. But you know as well as I the way the world would react if people found out that he and Anzu..."

"Even so, with the way he's watching her, someone other than us is bound to notice and cause a stir. If he's so business minded, I would think he'd be a little more careful about who he gawks at. He is Seto Kaiba."

Shizuka chuckled at his statement. She looked to her brother, then to Honda and Duke, none of whom had noticed their exchange. "But really, who pays that much attention anymore?"

* * *

"Isis."

Isis pulled off her reading glasses and looked up from the paper she had been working on. Her hand stopped in mid-sentence, a stream of irate Arabic bitten off as she recognized the voice.

"Seto!" The Egyptian woman quickly leapt up from her desk, moving to embrace the man on the other side of her office. She looked up at him with a smile that flickered as she felt him tense slightly under her touch. Immediately she read the expression on his face – worry hidden under a façade of frustration. Her smile relaxed reassuringly, knowing he must have been overwhelmed with work.

"How have you been? Has work been too taxing recently?"

Seto still did not loosen. It was as if he was holding his breath away from her. She did not let her confusion onto her face.

"Work has been fine," he replied in a tone so casual it seemed forced," Busy as usual. How have you been?"

"Better by the day. Every week Rishid has sent news of some new find. It makes me anxious to return home, but I've also enjoyed being here. I've missed you though…"

"I've missed you too, Isis."

Intelligent as she was, Isis would delude herself in that moment, removing Seto's tone from his statement. His words came out as mechanical, obligatory, but she quickly forgot. Her eyes lit up as she tightened her embrace, resting her chin on his chest and looking up into his face.

"There's a trustee's dinner two weeks from Friday. Would the great Seto Kaiba be interested in attending as a representative of Kaiba Corp?" Isis' voice was smiling and sly.

He stared at her with an expression only a few steps removed from blank.

"Uh…"

Isis reared back from him, face now showing visible concern. Seto Kaiba never began a sentence with 'uh'.

"I, ah, have already scheduled **plans for the 25****th****. **I'm afraid that I'll be unable to attend."

The formality of his words hit hard, causing her face to furrow in concerned confusion. That over-cliched feeling of sinking, the pit in the bottom of her stomach, rumbled up, roaring as a woken dragon might. She bit her lip and Kaiba seemed to flinch subtly.

"What's wrong, darling? Is everything alright?"

Kaiba broke her gaze, eyes flicking away with an aversion uncommon for such a powerful man. His mouth opened a fraction, lips pushing forwards in some kind of half formed discontent. He was frozen in this for a moment before his expression slackened, words deferred.

"Seto, dear?" She pulled up close to him, stretching on her tiptoes to come nearer to his face. Both hands grasped at his shirt and he looked away from her again. "Seto?"

With a shuddering sigh, he placed his hands on her hips. She could feel him lightly trying to push her away, but she resisted, instead forcing herself closer to his body.

"Isis, I have a-"

In a sharp moment Kaiba moved Isis away, widening the space between them by a foot. Yet Isis' hands still clung to his chest intimately.

Ryou's soft brown eyes seemed to darken as they narrowed. His mouth snapped shut, ending the half question he had entered with. Isis took a short breath as she watched her employee's gaze shift from her surprised expression to the way her hands clutched at Seto and finally to Kaiba's face. Much to her surprise Ryou stared openly at Kaiba, meeting the dragon's steely gaze. There was more than just a flicker of recognition that sparked between the locked stares of the two men. Isis watched in half wonder as Ryou's mouth sprung into a tight smirk. In response Kaiba's face paled in stiff, muted rage. Ryou's jaw tightened, hands clenching into fists. She glanced to one of the display cases in the corner of her office where the Millennium Ring rested, gleaming dully in the office's fluorescent light. No indication of a dark spirit, no Yami Bakura or unleashed spirit of a former Priest. The animosity rising between the two men in the room existed entirely in the present, and entirely of their own accord. Isis' lips parted in question, but it took a seemingly infinite moment for words to actually cross her breath.

"Ryou, I'm sure you know my boyfriend, Seto Kaiba. Kaiba, I believe you've met Ryou Bakura before? Or perhaps just his Yami?"

Ryou chuckled darkly, gaze fixed on Kaiba as he shook his head. "No need, Isis. Kaiba and I are well acquainted."

Kaiba remained silent. For a finite second she thought she saw a look of worry cross the man's face. Undoubtedly, Kaiba was paling, white as ice in some kind of clear and frozen anger – or perhaps cracking fear. With every flicker of light that fled Kaiba's expression, Ryou's increased in kilowatts until every feature of his face was bizarrely lit in some kind of internal light. It was beautifully terrifying, and for a moment Isis wondered why she'd never seen the white haired boy's fierce handsomeness. Her thought was distracted then as she felt Kaiba's hands covering hers. A surprised smile leapt to her face and fell just as quickly as Kaiba's calloused hands pulled hers away from his chest, forcing her to finally relinquish his shirt. The silence of shock was almost painful to Isis' ears. Ryou's eyes twitched a fraction more narrow, a decimal more suspicious.

"Well," she finally said, voice pitching higher as her throat tightened," then I suppose there was no need for introductions." A laugh, as fallible as a thinly blown bubble and quickly popped as Isis gasped for air. "What was it you needed, Ryou?"

She could never remember in her life a time that she had seen such a smirk. The beast of a curve was more venomous, more vilely arrogant and superb than Kaiba's had ever been. Isis again glanced nervously to the Millennium Ring. Nothing. Ryou shook his head slowly, the smirk and her gaze not challenging Isis, but Kaiba.

"It's nothing pressing, Isis. I can come back a little later."

_No_, Isis thought,_ more disarming than that smirk would be how disarmingly pleasant his voice can still remain._ Unprecedented, the way the fear of the soft spoken boy now leered in the back of her mind, or at the corner of her eye. She glanced at Kaiba, who was entirely fixated on Ryou.

"Very well," she managed to press between her lips," How is the clean up going?"

The already hard brown eyes lit up in a secret, internal mirth that just barely spilled over to his voice. "Perfectly." He ducked his head, mirth shifting into an undertone of irony. "Miss Isis. _Mister_ Kaiba."

Isis practically heard Kaiba's hand curl into a fist as Ryou left the office, door slamming with the finality of a judge's gavel. She turned fully to him.

"You and Ryou seem to be on fairly familiar terms," Isis said slowly.

There, again. Kaiba flinched.

"Isis. We need to talk."

* * *

An over dramatic eye-roll from Marik was all Bakura got as he emitted an equally dramatic chuckle. Marik was still surprised that he and Bakura – _Yami _Bakura – happened to get along so well, while Malik was completely intolerant to Ryou's sharp edged doppelganger. The Egyptian boy imagined that it had something to do with the incompatibility between 'master thief' and 'tomb guardian'.

"Ryou's starting to show," Marik said as Bakura's laughter began to subside. However, his comment only put the other boy's laughter into refrain.

"It's about time," Bakura said, words grating over air harshly," I was starting to worry about the family name. How could you tell? Has his voice been cracking much?"

Marik shook his head, eyes rolling again.

"You _know_ what I mean."

Bakura's laughter cut off, his expression suddenly sober, if not perhaps a little agitated.

"And again I say, it's about time. He's been mooning over that girl for nearly a year now; I've just grown sick of hearing her strung out along his thoughts, pinched and flapping like some great white sheet on a laundry line-"

"Please, refrain from bursting into simile in the presence of _sane_ people, Bakura."

"Well it's true, and it's bloody obnoxious, the way he puts her on the top of the flagpole: untouchable, perfect Anzu. I keep telling him he has _got_ to make a move, either before he loses her or I strangle him. Personally I would have, ah, how do you say it now – _tapped that_ – a long time ago, especially if she's even half the way she shows up in those drea-"

Bakura's face snapped then into an expression of vicious glee.

"Oh ho, that's going to hurt," he muttered, shaking his head as Marik began to question.

"You'll see, Ishtar, you'll see tomorrow. But let me tell you, Ryou's angry now, and poised to strike." Bakura stood up, putting down his share of the cost for the pizza they'd split. "When he bites, there will be blood, and there _will_ be venom."

* * *

"You _bastard_."

Seto was still reeling as he tried to figure out which had hit faster and which had hit harder: the fact that Ryou had so boldly stood up to him, or the British boy's fist. Keeling over, Seto's arms curled over his stomach and he dry heaved, barely keeping the contents of his day from spilling over the edge of his gaping mouth. But Seto did not drop the way his attacker would have liked, having caught himself on one knee and thus keeping himself from being prostrated on the sidewalk in front of the enraged Ryou. The attacked was now gasping in for breath and pushing it out with hardly muttered curses.

"You self-righteous, arrogant, _duplicitous_ _bastard._"

Not thinking it was possible, Seto was surprised by Ryou's increasing vehemence. And he didn't stop.

"Here, I thought maybe I could put a little faith in you," Ryou's voice was ragged, angry, and at the brink of flooding over and losing all control. "I thought, well, if _she_ trusted you, then maybe I could try." The chuckle that ripped from him was nothing but awful. "But, as we now see, I was wrong. She was wrong."

At these words, Seto stood quickly, staggering some as he did but managing to keep his balance. Blue eyes steeled over as his mouth opened sharply. However, nothing came out – Ryou had drawn back to swing again. This time Kaiba would not be taken by surprise. He blocked Ryou's punch, sweeping his forearm across to push the other man's fist away and into the wrought iron rail leading up to the museum entryway.

"She's practically head-over-heels for you, and she doesn't even know it." Here, Ryou's words made Seto pause, his heart involuntarily beating a fraction faster. "And seeing what I did tonight, I know that it needs to _stay _that way."

Finally baited, Seto lunged forward, a quick jab contacting solidly with Ryou's face. Ryou fell backwards, catching his balance to turn and land another punch deep into Seto's gut.

"I'm not trying to hurt her," Seto managed to grunt, unable to think clearly. Head over heels? For him? No-

"Well, you're doing a God-awful job at it, aren't you Kaiba? What the hell were you thinking? That somehow Anzu would be _happy_ that you were leading her on all the while dating Isis?"

Seto looked up, a slight wash of satisfaction as he saw Ryou, green tinged and covering his injured eye.

"I-"

"You have no right to speak, Kaiba." Ryou's voice was icy, leaving Seto wondering why he could hear his voice even though his own mouth was closed. Seto had never thought someone could so perfectly spit his image back at him, but Ryou was doing a damned good job.

"I told you that if you ever hurt Anzu, I would make you regret it. But I have a feeling that me ripping out your intestines could never make you bleed as much as Anzu would if she ever found out about- about you. About _this_." Ryou gestured back to the museum, implications clear.

"You have no say in my actions, Bakura," Seto bit back, though his words seemed to lack conviction. He was unnerved.

"You're right Kaiba, I don't. But if what you do involved Anzu, involves hurting Anzu, then I am going to do everything in my power to shut you down."

Seto blinked. Ryou's expression was fierce, the face that Seto had stared down in Isis' office nothing compared to what he was seeing now. Ryou meant it, and Seto knew it. Ryou had once been little more than a soft, transparent facet on Anzu's life. But now, here, he was challenging Seto for everything. The boy's face was lit by the moonlight, the hard glow of the fluorescent streetlights, the flaming anger that leaked out of every pore.

What was worse – what was the _worst_ – was that Seto knew, and could not even begin to deny, that Ryou was right.


	15. Don't Call it a Crush, Baby

And here it is, an honest-to-goodness, written in 2010, brand-new super special awesome chapter of Like the Rain. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and favorite-d the last chapter – it means so much to me that there are people out there still reading this fic! Huge thanks to all of the new readers, especially those who had to slog through the other fourteen chapters (some of them not bad, some of them not so great) to get here. I hope it's worth it.

All of my love and my firstborn child goes to Grace, who lovingly served as a beta to this chapter, and, more importantly, coaxed me out of my fanfiction foxhole. Thank you, darling, for keeping me from making a _really bad joke_.

Please read, enjoy, and review!

Thanks, RR

* * *

Like the Rain

By Revolutionnare Rouge

Chapter Fifteen: Don't Call it A Crush, Baby.

* * *

Mai had been _just_ on the brink of sleep when her phone started screeching. Starting at the loud disturbance, she began fumbling for her phone in the dark. The thing lit up from where it vibrated on the nightstand, casting gaunt shadows in the unfamiliar hotel room. Finally, Mai managed reached the wretched machine.

"Hello?" she said, still a bit groggy.

"Hey, Mai? Sorry for calling so late, but I really need to talk…"

Mai sat up some, frowning.

"Anzu? What happened?"

The voice on other end sounded much more awake and clear than Mai, but suddenly went silent. Mai could almost see the other girl, sitting on her bed in their empty apartment, tearing at the nail of her thumb while trying to come up with a response. Stifling a sigh, Mai slumped back into her pillows. Very rarely did something put Anzu at a loss for words, and while Mai knew that whatever happened must have been big, she wished the other girl would just get on with it. She had work tomorrow.

"Anzu, I-"

"Um, I think Seto might have feelings for me."

This time, Mai didn't bite down her sigh.

"That seems about right," she said, thinking back on the last time she saw Kaiba. He had been standing in Anzu's room, half-deaf but wholly transfixed on the sleeping girl.

"Mai, did you hear what I just said? Kaiba. Feelings. For me. Feelings! The fact that he has feelings at all goes against every known law of the universe! Why aren't you freaking out? Or, more so, why aren't you telling me I'm wrong?" A hitch of hysteria made its way into Anzu's voice.

"Because I'm not Yami or Jou, both of whom, I might add, you sound exactly like right now. I know you have better sense than that – to just write Kaiba off under the same label the others do, when you know him better than any of the rest of us. It's seems hard to deny that you two have a kind of companionship." Mai barely avoided stumbling over the word "companionship". Even as she tried to defend Kaiba, it didn't feel right for her to say "friendship". "With the way things have been going since Mokuba's kidnapping, it wouldn't surprise me if Kaiba did have some kind of feelings for you. At the very least, it's an attraction. Kaiba is a man after all."

On the other end of the line, Anzu fell quiet again, perhaps surprised. Normally Mai might have tried to reveal her theory to Anzu more circuitously, but it was past midnight, and she was too tired to be patient with her friend. The space between their conversation was growing frustratingly long.

"What makes you think so?" Anzu finally asked.

"I've seen the way he looks at you. What makes _you_ think so?"

Anzu recaped what had happened in the past few days with little hesitation. Mai knew Anzu had been thinking about this for hours, if not days, replaying each moment of contact and tension over and over; There was an almost poetic edge to Anzu's explanation that Mai could only chalk up to infatuation. Mai couldn't help but feel a sting of jealousy as Anzu described the way Kaiba had brushed his lips against hers, or (to think of it!) grinned over her successful solo. Kaiba was, in many respects, the man whose image every female fantasy was modeled after: wealthy, brilliant, and atrociously handsome. He was for so many that untouchable mystery, so much so that any person could easily consider him a canvas and paint him in the image of their own fantasy. Few, if any of the people that had lusted over Kaiba – Mai herself included – had any inkling of the person the CEO actually was. But here was Anzu, the only girl who had not only found the safe where the real Kaiba kept himself, but was beginning to turn the lock. Any other person would have already clung to the opportunity to get intimate with Seto Kaiba, except for Anzu, painstakingly deliberate Anzu. But it was a start.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" Mai asked once Anzu had finished.

Anzu sighed. "I dunno."

"Then let's start at the beginning. Do you have feelings for Kaiba?"

The question seemed to surprise her. She paused for a few moments.

"I don't know. I don't think so, but…"

"But it's that 'but…' that's going to keep you thinking about it. Why don't you just go after him, even if it's just for fun? There's nothing stopping you."

"Mai, you know that's not the case."

"Of course, of course." Mai could see the looming faces of their friends – Yami, Yugi, Duke, and even her Jou – and could practically hear their reactions. And then there was Ryou… "But just because there are a few obstacles doesn't mean you shouldn't consider it. You would be the shame of all womankind if you didn't try to get with him, or at least into his pants. Or his pocketbook."

"What do I do, then? Let things go and see what happens? Hope to get kidnapped again or something? What would you do?"

It amused Mai to hear her headstrong roommate sound so innocent and confused. Mai knew Anzu had had boyfriends before, but she also knew that the field was completely different when it was Kaiba that was up to bat. Anzu would have to throw hard.

"Sweetie, you don't want to know what _I _would do. But I think I might know what _you_ should do."

* * *

Seto Kaiba was going to walk to school even if it made him ill. He'd slept fitfully, and could barely mute the desire to spend disgusting amounts of money on finding the man who hadn't come up with a cure for headaches yet and firing him – and his head was the least of his complaints. A bruise had formed where Bakura punched him in the gut. Kaiba, naturally, kept himself free of unnecessary fat, and there'd been next to no cushioning the blow. The ugly mark was purpling at the center and spread out across much of his stomach, ending in a sickly yellow ring. More bruised by the blow than his body was his ego; The fact that he'd been so demeaned and physically bested by Bakura was unacceptable. But the idea that perhaps Bakura was correct about what he'd said, that Seto had been "leading Anzu on" while dating Isis and that he didn't deserve to have anything to do with her, was the most troubling. Kaiba was the kind of man who did, and got, what he wanted. Having that challenged was not in the rule book.

His fist tightened around his school bag as a sharp pain lanced up through his stomach.

He had done what he needed to. He ended things with Isis. She'd been crying when he left, though that was certainly not why Bakura had taken him by surprise. It wouldn't happen again. Seto was determined to walk to school even while in a pain that made him visibly pale (although not limp, or groan, or flinch, as it might with anyone else). He'd taken on worse than this before.

A sense of relief trickled into his chest when he was able to stride into his first period class looking as invincible as ever. Kaiba sat down at his desk and unfolded a newspaper, noticing that as he did so, Ryou Bakura watched him. It was like a hawk watching and waiting for a wolf to give in. Well he would have to wait. Today, like any other day, was no time to show weakness.

"Ohmygod Ryou, what happened to your eye?"

Damned, though, if that boy wasn't going to try and wring out every ounce of self-control Kaiba possessed.

Seto merely glanced up from the newspaper he read as Anzu rushed through the rows of desks to where Ryou sat, giving Anzu a martyr's smile while his eye swelled shut. Quickly he looked down again, seething.

"It's nothing, Anzu, I promise."

God, if that deceptively modest tone in Bakura's voice had a throat, Kaiba would get up and strangle it.

Anzu slammed her bag down on the desk in front of Ryou's and sat in the chair backwards in order to face her friend. From the corner of his vision, Seto could see her face, half-framed by hair, brimming over with concern for the other boy. She reached out and, without asking, tenderly touched the edge of Ryou's swollen eye, causing him to flinch slightly. Anzu let out a hiss of apology. "I'm so sorry! Ryou, this is obviously not _nothing_. What the hell did you do to yourself? This bruise is awful! Have you even iced it or tried to take care of it or anything? Do you need to go to the doctor?"

Her worry filled the space around her, and Kaiba knew that Ryou was positively basking in it. Ryou shook his head, though he grimaced noticeably from pain.

"Anzu, I didn't do anything to myself. And really, it's nothing. After work, Isis was locking up the museum, and I stayed with her just so that she wouldn't have to be out alone at night. Some drunk came up and started giving her some trouble, so I stepped in. The guy got a lucky punch, but I valiantly fended him off without too much effort." His voice became comically heroic in his last statement, making Anzu giggle despite her worry. Kaiba, on the other hand, fought back a sneer. _Who's the lying hypocrite now, loverboy?_

"I can't believe you got yourself hurt defending _that_ woman," she said, leaning forward to cup Ryou's face in her hands. "You're such a gentleman…"

Ryou broke off in a grin tinged with a hint of self-satisfaction that Kaiba was sure only he could see – peripherally, of course.

"-A gentleman who has no clue how to take care of himself properly. Seriously Ryou, your eye is monstrous. Have you done _anything_ to reduce the swelling?" Ryou responded with a sheepish 'No', causing Anzu to lean back and shake her head in mock disappointment.

"Well, is there anything I can do help? There should be time to go down to the infirmary and see if they have any cold packs or something…"

Seto made the error of looking up at both Anzu and Ryou. At that very same moment, Ryou had glanced over to Kaiba, trying to gauge if he was listening. Ryou and Seto locked eyes, and the white haired boy sent him an almost imperceptible smirk. He looked back to Anzu.

"Kiss it and make it better?" Ryou whimpered, pouting childishly.

Upon Ryou's comment, Kaiba felt his blood pressure surge, heard his pulse pounding angrily in his ears. The way Ryou had played off his little request, as a joke between friends…

Anzu let out a laugh, and without a moment of hesitation, leaned forward and pressed her lips gently to the skin under Ryou's eye, at the very edge of his bruise. She pulled away, but then was back again, leaving another kiss near his eye. With the second kiss, Kaiba could practically feel the growl rising in his throat.

"All better!" Anzu exclaimed, smiling widely. Ryou returned her smile, but glanced over to Kaiba once more. It was all Kaiba could do to not glower at him. He wouldn't give Ryou that kind of satisfaction.

He felt warm all over. It was not jealousy – he knew that much. It was an issue of territory. Anzu was _not_ Ryou's.

Anzu stood up, and took her usual desk, to the side of Kaiba. As she did, she too glanced at him. Their eyes met, but Anzu didn't look away. Instead, she raised her eyebrows, her face a silent challenge. Apparently Ryou wasn't the only one who had noticed Kaiba furtively watching them. At her look, his body temperature went from warm to hot. It was as if she had slapped him, and left the words _"Whatcha gonna do about it?" _imprinted across his face. He took a breath and regained his composure, but didn't break the gaze.

Class was already starting. Students poured in with the final bell, and the teacher was already writing the main themes of the lecture on the board. Ryou was chatting with Yugi, while Yami flipped impatiently through his notebook. Someone was making an announcement about yearbook sales over the PA system. Someone was passing out old quizzes. From somewhere down the hall came the sound of a locker being slammed shut, frantic footsteps running to get to class. But for Seto, everything around him had condensed, from the classroom, to him and Anzu and Ryou, and finally, to only him and the girl in the nearest desk.

Blue poured into blue – Seto refused to break their stare. His eyes were a clash of flint and fire, and he looked at her until his message came across: if she kept it up, she would find out exactly what he planned to do about it.

* * *

Sudden, uncontrollable lust with the overtones of malicious glee.

Ryou paused, lunch tray in hand, in the middle of the school courtyard. He felt the hot flare of desire raking over his skin, and could only roll his eyes, mumbling a quiet curse to himself. Ahead of him, Anzu had just sat down, poised on the bench with the kind of elegant posture one could only find in a dancer: back bent slightly in a smooth curve, shoulders set straight and arms angled forward, every portion of her body turned with a natural grace that drew the eye to appreciate the form as a whole. Her head turned slightly to respond to Shizuka's greeting, putting her in near-profile. Another kind of desire eased over Ryou, quieter, deeper, aching.

This was overtaken, again, by that searing feeling of sheer, almost violent, need. It was an emotion unique to only one thing – or, well, person.

"Hey, guys, I just remembered that I was supposed to meet up with Bakura for lunch. Anzu, I'll see you in class," Ryou called.

The teens at the table acknowledged his departure, with Yami sending a rather cheerful "Tell that damned tomb thief to go choke on a baby!" as a parting message. Ryou nodded, and didn't stifle a laugh as he imagined his dark counterpart comically enacting Yami's wish. He'd probably done something like that before.

As Ryou turned back towards the school, he acknowledged the feeling flushing across him, and beat it back with his own feeling of piqued composure – annoyance with a cool front that sometimes made him feel a bit like a harried parent. It was a soft emotion, individual to him. Immediately, the lust flushed out of his system, gone as quickly as it came. It was replaced instead by a haze over his vision, which cleared into a transparent image overlaying the vision of his surroundings. Along with the bricked wall of the school and the various students sitting at benches or under trees was the interposed image of the inside of the computer room. After a moment, it flickered and disappeared. Ryou was to himself again.

* * *

_(+81): I cant believe it, but you were wrong yesterday_

_(1-81): Huh? Abt what?_

_(+81) : HE did it._

_(1-81): NO WAY. Last night?_

_(+81): Yea. Shes a wreck today_

_(1-81): Well this changes things._

_(+81): Srsly._

* * *

"_Please_ tell me you saw that imbecilic look on his face this morning!"

Ryou's entrance was greeted with Bakura's grating voice. His near-twin was leaning against the teacher's desk in the computer lab, doubled over as he let out a raucous cackle of delight. Bakura straightened as Ryou set down his backpack and walked over to him, and the two men mirrored each other in their sharp grins.

"I didn't think you had it in you, you limey girl, but you've proved me wrong on two accounts."

Bakura pounded Ryou on the back with his fist, a painful sign of approval from the rougher of the two.

"I'm afraid I didn't see Kaiba's expression this morning," Ryou said, still grinning," I was too busy basking in Anzu's affections."

"That sure pissed him off! Mr. Cool and Composed was about to lose it." Bakura was laughing so hard that tears of mirth had rounded out in his eyes.

Ryou could feel Bakura's pride and approval almost as if the sensations were his own. However, he could also sense a careful curiosity arising in his partner, the sort of feeling he might get when encountering a snake that he wasn't sure was poisonous or not. Bakura was sizing him up, seriously this time.

"But you didn't just come here to congratulate me – unless you were just being a prick by sending me those sensations."

The caution flared up in Bakura, and both knew Ryou could feel it too. Ryou gave his counterpart a measured stare, watching the features of the ancient thief even though he could feel the internal debate going on behind the man's sharp visage. Ryou and Bakura, Yami Bakura, had shared his body for years. They had been able to move into the mind of the other, exploring the emotions, ideas, memories, and dreams. That bond had been retained, even after their souls were split.

"Getting nostalgic, aren't you dear?" Bakura sneered, sensing the direction of Ryou's thoughts. "I did want to talk to you about something, although naturally I couldn't resist messing around with you, too."

Ryou shook his head. "Honestly, you live to make me feel uncomfortable, don't you?" He thought back to the intense sensations of brutal lust he had felt in the courtyard – an emotion that wasn't his, but expressly Bakura's. Bakura impressed the feeling on Ryou to get his attention, like a signal marker. Ryou himself liked to fill Bakura with feelings of warm, fuzzy, over-the-top love and affection, just to piss him off. It was part of their routine.

When Yugi unleashed the power of the Egyptian God cards, he did what Pegasus had hoped to do with the Millennium Items – "bring back" the dead. He had been attempting to release the Pharaoh spirit, who they called Yami, in order to give the long gone man a chance at life again, either in the past or in the present. Yami had been given a body in the present, and by some fluke, or perhaps a connection within the Millennium Items (Bakura suspected the latter, claiming that the Rod, Ring, and Puzzle had all been connected through his soul), so had the other two "Yami"s – Yami Bakura and Yami Marik, now called Malik. It was the most unexplainable, and even illogical, turn of events, yet Bakura had almost anticipated it, and Ryou, equally used to the impossible happening, accepted it. However, as far as Ryou knew, his connection to Bakura was different than the links between the others and their dark sides. Even after being split into two bodies, Bakura and Ryou retained their ability to see into the mind of the other, although it proved somewhat more tenuous. Each could feel the emotions of the other and see what the other saw, allowing them to communicate through these feelings and images even when apart.

"Oh, yes, darling, every moment of every day is spent plotting new ways to make your life just slightly more awkward than it already is. _Please_." Bakura rolled his eyes. "I wanted you here to congratulate you on your stunning display of asshole behavior, and also tell you that Kaiba ended it with Isis. Marik told me about it last night."

A tightness found its way to Ryou's chest, and he could feel the cold fingers of nervousness lacing over him.

"If Kaiba's done with Isis, then he's free to do whatever the hell he wants," Bakura added, voicing what was buzzing in Ryou's mind.

"Looks like you're going to have to get to the finish faster than you thought. You might want to invest in a stacked deck."

Ryou scowled. "Kaiba and I aren't playing some stupid card game, Bakura. This is reality. Real feelings."

"Of course, _of course_." Bakura's voice was petulant, mocking.

There were times when Ryou wondered just how much of their souls had been separated when Bakura had been given his own body. He was beginning to believe that the break hadn't been entirely clean. Ryou shook his head and, with his dark twin at his side, began to plan.

* * *

For much of the day, Anzu was fairly certain that she had done Mai proud. She had intended the day to be somewhat of a trial period, allowing her to gauge how Kaiba acted around her now that she had a fresh perspective. With Mai's advice in mind, she was to try doing little things – wearing a bit of makeup, pitching her voice a little lower, holding eye contact just a fraction longer – not just to test Kaiba's interest, but to determine some of the variables of her own feelings. For a subject so unpredictable, it was a fairly solid plan.

This morning had created an unexpected result; She supposed she couldn't account for everything, especially when human nature was at play. Ryou had surprised her with his request for a kiss, even one so innocently placed, and from the expression on Kaiba's face (as much as he had tried to mask it with disinterest and hauteur), it had startled him too. Kaiba's reaction, and the glance exchanged afterwards, had been incredibly rewarding. Anzu couldn't have asked for better.

Once again though, a feeling of unease pecked at her. The entire day, Ryou had been just slightly over the line of Ryou. She almost couldn't explain it, or even process it, but there was a difference. None of his actions, like the kiss, had been outside of the boundaries of their relationship… but they skirted that edge and then blurred it to the point where Anzu wasn't entirely sure if she was just making up the whole thing or not. It made her think of the day before, when a sort of sharpness had passed over her friend. It was just-almost-but-not-quite Ryou. The way his voice peaked when he saw her, the half grin on his face when she worried over his eye, that extra fraction of a second that before he pulled out of her hug and told her he'd call her tonight.

"Alright, I think that is all for today!"

Madame Dugin's voice brought Anzu out of her reverie. Anzu lowered her leg and let go of the barre where she and the others had been doing cool-down stretches. As the other students began to change and pack their bags, Anzu bent over, touching her chest almost to her legs and her hands to her feet. Beyond the line of her legs, she could see the inverted image of the little sitting area the adjoined the studio. Mokuba had stood up from the overstuffed armchair and was holding Rebecca's bag while he waited for her, with a look of what Anzu could only describe as concern formed in his features. He was alone.

After believing for the entire day that Anzu had Kaiba's attention, she was taken aback when he didn't show up for her dance class. Perhaps she had misjudged the entire situation.

Anzu straightened from her stretch and tugged on a tank top and jeans to cover up her leotard and leggings. Thinking, foolishly, that Kaiba would be there that afternoon, she opted out of wearing her usual post-dance tee-shirt and workout shorts, instead bringing something more flattering to her form. It wasn't exactly a get up that Mai would consider impressive, but it was a change for Anzu. Slinging her bag over her shoulders, Anzu walked over to where Rebecca had joined Mokuba.

"You looked great today, Rebecca," she said to the younger girl.

"That's just what I was telling her," Mokuba responded as he slipped his arm around Rebecca's waist. He smiled at his girlfriend affectionately, but Anzu noticed that Mokuba's same look of disquiet had now spread to the both of them. It sunk deep in the creases of their eyes like a bad gothic makeup job.

"Thanks, Anz'! Don't tell anyone…" Rebecca lowered her voice in mock-secrecy, "but I've been practicing every day after school in order to catch up."

Anzu leaned in towards the two young teens, voice equally conspiratorial. "Don't panic. I do the exact same thing."

All three laughed and headed outside. Instinctively, Anzu looked up to assess the sky. As if by some miracle, all was clear. In the back of her mind, that minute nagging voice reminded her that the chances of seeing Kaiba again that day were dwindling… which meant she might have to spend another day "testing".

"Where are you two headed?" Anzu asked, turning back to the couple. She almost missed the glance the two exchanged. Almost.

"Probably back to Becky's place," Mokuba said. "I'm helping her study for her calculus exam."

"And by 'help study', he means 'sit around and watch a Dragonball Z re-run marathon on the anime channel'," Rebecca snorted. Mokuba scratched his head sheepishly.

"Seto doesn't let me watch Dragonball Z anymore…" he mumbled as Rebecca rolled her eyes. Anzu's expression of disbelief served to ask her question.

"I, uh, _may_ have sent a prank e-mail from Seto's address outlining a new company policy in which all Kaiba Corp employees were required to adopt the new motto "Over 9000!" and apply it to their department goals…"

Anzu's laughter, which had been mounting through Mokuba's explanation, was cut off by a sharp growl of frustration.

"I had to sit and listen to my Ad team talk about boosting sales to "Over 9000!" for _three damn weeks_."

The three turned to face the older Kaiba, framed in sharp umbrage.

"I had to rehire 200 people after I figured out what had happened."

Mokuba practically shriveled under the gaze of his brother, but through the mass of hair that hid his face, Anzu could see the slightest smile of pride.

"Welllll… that's my cue to leave. Come on, Becky."

The black-haired boy grabbed his girlfriend's hand and nearly ran in the opposite direction. Rather than chasing or calling after him, Kaiba simply shook his head, annoyed face marred by the crinkle of laugh lines that bent around his eyes as he tried to hide his amusement. He turned and stared at Anzu. She stared back until the silence made her uncomfortable.

"Kids these days, huh?" she said, breaking eye contact to fidget with the thin strap of her tank top. She suddenly felt incredibly exposed. "No respect for their elders." She could literally see Mai in her mind, putting her hand to her head in embarrassment. Anzu was supposed to have the upper hand on this situation.

The way Seto looked at her seemed to indicate that he hadn't even heard what she'd said. Blue eyes fixed on her eyes, then moved down her form, then back up to her eyes in abrupt little ticks like the second hand of a clock sweeping over the pale face of time. He was breaking her down in his mind fraction by fraction, putting his hands in her pockets and turning them inside out, unscrewing her head from her neck to peer down into her chest cavity. He must have found what he was looking for, as his eyes suddenly focused on her face and stayed. Anzu should have told him just how eccentric he was being, but she didn't dare. Yet.

"Come have coffee with me."

Anzu blinked, and opened her mouth to respond. Kaiba waited.

"Excuse me?" was all that she could manage.

"Coffee. You're going to come with me and we are going to drink it, Mazaki. It's not that difficult to process."

Not what she had been expecting.

"No way. I'm disgusting and need a shower." As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she wished she could have taken them back. _She _was supposed to be the one baiting Kaiba, judging his responses and attracting his attention, and here she was messing it up. But by the time Anzu responded, Kaiba had already begun walking in the opposite direction, towards a place Anzu assumed had coffee.

With a cluck of exasperation, Anzu sped to catch up with Kaiba. Walking quickly, she matched the pace of his long strides to stay at his side. Kaiba glanced down at her as she looked up at him.

"For future reference, when you want someone to do something with you, you typically _invite _them."

Kaiba's brows furrowed. "That's what I did."

"No, Kaiba, you commanded me to come have coffee with you. You might be able to throw around orders all day when you're at Kaiba Corp, but here in the _real_ world, _normal_ people have certain social rules."

The man snorted, face a half sneer. "Screw the rules."

Anzu rolled her eyes, over-exaggerating her irritation.

"You should be thankful that I'm such a generous and kind-hearted person, otherwise you'd be getting your damn coffee on your own."

"Oh, well thank you _so_ much, Anzu. I have no idea what I would do without your philanthropy."

The girl let out a little gasp of indignation and sped up to pass Kaiba before stopping directly in front of him. She crossed her arms under her chest and stared up at him menacingly, blocking his path.

"Getting rude isn't going to get you anywhere, Mr. Kaiba."

"Well, Miss Mazaki, getting in my way is certainly going to get you thrown over my shoulder and carried."

Seto took a few steps closer to Anzu, until he was looming over her. She could tell from the smirk that crossed his face that he was enjoying immensely her irritation.

"You'd abuse a girl in such a crude fashion, Kaiba?"

His smirk only widened. Something almost mischievous flashed across his face.

"I didn't say I'd be rough, Mazaki. Maybe I just want to touch you."

Kaiba stepped around Anzu as she stared at him, mouth agape. Her head turned mechanically to watch him as he passed her. He didn't even try and coach his expression – it was obvious that he was gloating over her speechlessness.

He paused before he had gone far.

"Now, Mazaki, would you like to have coffee with me?"

* * *

"Speaking of feelings, _Honey Bee_, what was it that you found so funny earlier? I was so distracted with working out your little love game that I forgot to ask."

The silence broken, Ryou looked up from his biology book to where Bakura lounged on his bed. As always, Bakura had been perusing the internet while Ryou studied. Ryou rolled his eyes; Bakura mimicked him.

"Oh, nothing really, _Gaga_. As I was leaving lunch to go find you, Yami wanted me to, and I quote 'Tell that damned tomb thief to go choke on a baby". It seemed like something you would do."

The other white haired boy sat up straight and slammed down the top of his laptop. Ryou raised an eyebrow at his twin's reaction.

"He _still_ hasn't let that go?" Bakura's face flushed as he fumed. "Ra forbid a person makes a mistake! That happened _once_, five _thousand_ years ago!" He picked up his laptop and stalked to the door. He turned back to the mildly bemused Ryou.

"You tell that damned pharaoh to pull that spiky hair out of his ass and get over it."

Bakura wildly opened the door, stomped out, and slammed it closed.

"Whatever you say, Bakura," Ryou said, turning back to his reading.


End file.
